Capture
by transmutejun
Summary: Part 1 of my Trials trilogy. When Princess is captured by Zoltar, she discovers that escape is more difficult than she anticipates.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"We're running out of time." Jason muttered angrily. "It won't be long before Zoltar makes a copy of the Tapes."

"We won't let that happen." Mark promised grimly. The Conway Tapes were the source of all Federation defense codes. If the Spectrans managed to decrypt the information on the Tapes...

But they wouldn't. I knew that no matter what the cost, our Commander would ensure that the Conway Tapes were recovered.

The word 'tapes' was actually something of a misnomer: a throwback to a century ago, when such technology was in common use. The actual data was compressed onto one chip: a tiny device that was easy to hide. Yet 7-Zark-7 was certain that it was somewhere on this base. Unfortunately, this was a Spectran installation of massive proportions, and the G-Force Team didn't have time to search it entirely. At least, not as a group…

"We're splitting up." Mark announced, as if he were reading my thoughts. "Tiny and Keyop will go that way, and Jason will go that way." The Commander gestured to the passageways as he spoke.

"Princess and I will head this way." he finished. Despite the dire nature of our mission, my heart took a moment to skip a beat, as it always did when Mark chose me to be his partner. It happened more often than not; it was his secret way of letting me know that I was important to him. We complemented each other's skills better than any other pairing on the Team. Yet there was something more as well: something I pondered in the darkness of night, alone in my bed. Something to which we could never give voice, yet its existence was silently acknowledged, as it grew in strength and power every day.

I nodded quickly, my outward demeanor professional, as if these thoughts had never crossed my mind. Seconds later I was running after my Commander, following him down a long, metallic corridor as we made our way toward the center of the base. Mark moved purposefully, as if he knew exactly where he was going, however slim his lead. No one more than I understood the tremendous stress he was under, having the safety of the entire Federation resting on his shoulders, not to mention the responsibility for literally billions of civilian lives.

I had faith in Mark. He would recover the Tapes, no matter the cost. And I would be ready to assist him in whatever way he needed.

His face turned ahead, Mark held up his right hand, flashing two fingers back at me. I readied my yo-yo, pulling back to the wall to make myself as inconspicuous as possible. When the two guards came around the corner, the Spectran on the right had my weapon's cord wrapped around his neck, strangling him before he could make a sound. The man on the left had already fallen from an encounter with Mark's sonic boomerang.

We were about to move further down the passageway when Mark stopped suddenly, pushing me back against the wall once more. Voices drifted down the corridor toward us; I easily recognized the first.

"How long until we can copy the Conway Tapes? The Luminous One is impatient for results!"

"We are closing in on the appropriate decryption algorithm, Lord Zoltar. It will be within an hour."

"We don't _have_ an hour! G-Force is here! We need to copy the Tapes _now_! This is our last chance. It will be your head if we lose this advantage!"

"Yes, my Lord!"

The sound of nervous footsteps came toward us, and a small man in a white lab coat came scurrying around the corner. In his haste, he didn't notice the G-Force Commander until a sonic boomerang had already slit his throat.

"This is it!" Mark whispered, his eyes blazing with an eager excitement. I smiled in response, relieved that our goal was so close. Sure enough, another impatient, steady footfall was approaching.

"Impudent fool!" Zoltar snarled. "Doesn't he realize what's at stake?"

"I realize what's at stake." Mark moved out from behind the wall, confronting the Spectran Leader. "And I'm not going to allow you to decrypt those Tapes."

"_Allow_ me?" Zoltar sneered. "You have no choice in the matter, Commander. I have the Conway Tapes, and you do not. Our scientists will decrypt your inferior Federation codes, and then you will bow before me, begging for mercy so that I will spare your worthless lives."

"Dream on, Zoltar." Mark smirked. "You may have a fancy way with words, but that's not going to get you what you want." He raised his boomerang in a threatening manner.

"We'll see about that!" Zoltar cried, spinning quickly on his feet before running away. Mark threw his weapon, but at the last second the Spectran Leader turned a corner, evading the boomerang's flight path. Yet Mark and I were already on the move, and the Commander caught his weapon even as he was pursuing his prey.

There was no stealth now, merely a desperate chase as we followed Zoltar through twisting passageways and narrow corridors. Strangely, there were no guards in sight, as if they had run in fear at the Commander's approach.

Finally, Zoltar passed through a large set of double doors bearing the Spectran devil logo in their center.

"Now we've got him!" Mark gloated, his elation adding a burst of speed to his movement. I was now a step behind, and by the time I entered the room, the Commander was already approaching a tall pedestal in the center of the room. The top of the pedestal held a data reader, of the type that could access the chip holding the Conway Tapes.

"The Conway Tapes were never yours, Zoltar!" Mark lectured the Spectran Leader. Zoltar stood in front of the pedestal, holding a control pad. "Surrender, and return with me to face trial for your war crimes!"

"If you want the Tapes, you can have them back." Zoltar gestured to the data reader. "Yet you will give up your chance to follow me." He pressed something on his control pad and a wall panel slid aside, revealing a small passageway. The Spectran Leader wasted no time in racing for the newly-created exit, before Mark even had a chance to respond.

"I hate to let him get away, but our primary mission is to recover the Conway Tapes." Mark sighed in frustration, moving toward the pedestal. His hand reached out…

Something wasn't right. The lack of guards as we had chased Zoltar, the way the Spectran Leader had just abandoned the Conway Tapes, after going to such trouble to obtain them… it was all just _too_ convenient.

It had to be a trap.

"Mark, no!" I cried, leaping forward, pushing him aside as I flew toward the pedestal. Yet it was too late: the Commander already had the tiny chip in his hand. Mark tumbled to the floor as I fell over the data reader.

"Princess!" he shouted angrily. "What do you think you're…?"

He never got a chance to finish his question. A large, clear tube descended from the ceiling, enclosing the area around the pedestal, including the spot where Mark had been standing only a moment before. I scrambled to my feet, pounding on the glass, yet was unable to break it.

"Mark!" I called, staring at his anguished face. I could see him moving away from me… No, I was the one who was moving. The floor was rising; apparently this was some kind of elevator.

"Princess!"

I saw the Commander's sonic boomerang flying toward me and instinctively ducked, yet it merely bounced off of the clear wall, unable to damage the alien material.

"Princess, I…"

Mark's words were cut off as I passed through the ceiling and into some kind of dark room. The floor stopped moving, yet the tube continued to rise, releasing me into this small space. The entire chamber began to vibrate, and I became aware of a low rumbling sound. The ground jerked and I stumbled, catching myself before I fell to the floor. A portion of the wall rose, revealing a small window, beyond which I could see the Spectran Base dropping away.

I was in some kind of ship! Already the sky was giving way to the atmosphere. A sudden burst of speed flattened my body against the glass, as I helplessly viewed the Earth growing smaller behind me. Familiar stars and planets passed by my face.

Pluto! The sight of the small planet brought me back to my senses. I reached for my bracelet, attempting to contact Susan, Zark, anyone… yet there was no response. Something was blocking my communication signal.

"Welcome, Commander."

I turned around, startled, as I heard Zoltar's voice. But it quickly became clear that the Spectran Leader was not in the small room. The sound was coming from a communications system.

"You should be settling in." Zoltar smirked. "It's a long way back to Spectra. I hope you'll be comfortable."

I bit my lip, refusing to answer. If Zoltar thought I was Mark, then I didn't want to disabuse him of that notion. It was clear that the trap at the base had been set to catch the Commander. Who knew what would happen when Zoltar discovered that instead of the G-Force Commander, he only had me? Yet I didn't want to alert the Spectran Leader to his mistake. I had to give Mark a chance to return to the Phoenix with the Conway Tapes.

"So," Zoltar chuckled after a pause, "none of your false bravado then, Commander? Perhaps you're attempting to lure me into thinking that you're not there. This may be a small escape pod, but it has been equipped with heat sensors. Normally, such devices are used to ensure that uninvited guests have not stowed themselves onboard when I make a rapid departure. But in this case I can use the system to monitor your presence. So you see, there's no way you can possibly hide from me."

I sat in silence, refusing to answer, knowing that each minute Zoltar thought the G-Force Commander his prisoner only gave Mark longer to get away. The reality of my own situation was not lost on me, but for the moment I chose to push it aside to think of Mark. He was safe. That was all that mattered. What happened to me was inconsequential.

Of course, that didn't mean that I had to surrender to Zoltar's whims. My eyes began to dart around the room. I had become accustomed to the dim light, and my cerebonically-enhanced vision was able to make out the features of my prison.

The chamber was completely bare, the walls, ceiling and floor without any distinguishing features, save for the window I had previously noted. I could not see any outline on the floor where the elevating platform had brought me into the room, nor could I feel any kind of crack or crevice in the area. Even the corners where the walls met the floor and ceiling were softly rounded, creating an interior space with no discernable edges. The pieces from which the chamber had been fashioned had been cunningly fitted together into what appeared to be a seamless piece of metallic alloy. Yet at the same time, the metal felt charged: as if it were bursting with power that was capable of being released at any moment. Needless to say, this didn't fill me with confidence, yet I forced my mind to examine the facts, while doing my best to keep my fears at bay.

Mark would save me. He would gather the others, and they would follow Zoltar's ship in the Phoenix. If we truly were going to Spectra (I didn't put it past Zoltar to lie to me regarding our destination) then that shouldn't be difficult for the G-Force Team to determine.

Yet it was clear that a trap had been set for Mark. Zoltar had wanted to capture the G-Force Commander, and had undertaken the trouble of obtaining the Conway Tapes to be used as bait. Surely, given the amount of effort to which Zoltar had gone, he would have expected some kind of pursuit, and made the appropriate preparations?

Rescue was a hope… but that was all it was. Eventually, Mark would find me. I had faith in him. But there was no telling how long that might take. In the meantime, I had to act as if I was on my own. The only person I could count on was myself. These thoughts swirled around and around in my head, constantly intruding as I spent the following few hours attempting to concoct a plan of escape.

My fingers drummed impatiently on the floor, momentarily forgetting the implicit threat in its charged nature. I began to realize that my fingertips were bouncing lightly on the metallic surface, as if it were made of a slightly flexible material.

Flexible… charged… I was sitting on a force field!

I mentally berated myself for not realizing this earlier. Perhaps I would have deduced this information sooner if I had been able to see properly, yet the reason hardly mattered. What mattered was that I had this information now. I had to focus on how to use this data, rather than worrying about how long it had been taken to obtain it.

A force field had to have a generator: something to power it. If I could disrupt that power source, then the field would go down, and perhaps I would be able to use the communications function of my bracelet, or even escape. My heart pounded with excitement as I went over the possibilities.

The power source was likely outside of the force field. But if I could determine where, I might be able to create some kind of feedback, in order to disrupt its functioning. My eyes scanned the small chamber again, searching for an indication of the source of the force field's generation.

"You've been awfully quiet, Commander." Zoltar's voice smirked again, breaking into my thoughts. "Are you resting, perhaps? That's not a bad idea, you know. You'll need all of your strength for what's coming. I have plans for you, Commander, and they don't involve the kind of pampering you've come to expect from the Federation."

I bent my head, staring at the floor as if that were all that prevented Zoltar from discovering the true identity of his prisoner.

"I see you're not much of a conversationalist." Zoltar sighed. "Strange, how you always have plenty to say when you think you're in control. But now that I am the one in control…" the Spectran Leader laughed nastily, and I had to force myself not to shiver in disgust.

"Keep up the silent act, Commander!" Zoltar snarled, his mood suddenly one of righteous anger. "It will only serve my purpose once we reach Spectra. You have no idea what's in store for you. You will pay for every humiliation you have ever made me suffer! You think the destruction of your precious Center Neptune was terrible? That was nothing in comparison to what is about to happen."

I closed my mind to the sound of Zoltar's voice, unwilling to listen to the alternating vituperation and gloating swirling through the air around me. But as my thoughts cleared, so did my awareness of my surroundings. If I could hear Zoltar's voice, then there was a 'tunnel' through the force field being opened to patch the audio through. True, such a distortion would be invisible to the human eye, yet to my enhanced cerebonic vision…

I moved my head around slightly, blocking off one ear and then the other to determine the direction from which the sound was originating. It appeared to be coming from my upper left. My eyes darted over the area, focusing intently on the smooth structure of my prison wall. I saw nothing until…

There! Zoltar had screeched loudly, and the high pitch of his voice had created a small distortion in my vision. The surface smoothed again, yet I had to hope that I would catch sight of it once more. Underneath my wings, I reached for my yo-yo, pulling it from its holster and readying for a strike.

"You will rue the day you ever thought you could defeat Spectra!" Zoltar cried, causing the distortion to appear again for a fraction of a second. Yet it was all I needed. I threw my weapon up to the ceiling, targeting the location of the force field's aberration, letting loose the electric charge at the exact moment I anticipated my yo-yo's contact with the field.

The resulting reaction was even more than I had hoped. The electric charge from my yo-yo hit the energy field at a destructive angle, taking advantage of the weakness introduced by the audio tunnel and creating a feedback surge that flashed momentarily around the entire chamber. Pain flared around my body where it made contact with the wall and the floor, yet the momentary burn was insignificant compared to the elation I was experiencing. The entire chamber shimmered for an instant, before going dark once more.

Eagerly I ran my fingertips along the wall behind me. When I concentrated on my task, I could feel tiny imperfections in the metal and the joint where the wall met the floor. And on that floor, I could even perceive a faint line where the elevation platform had brought me into this place.

I let out a sigh of relief. The force field had been disabled. Yet even as I was mentally celebrating my minor victory, my eyes moved across the window and my spirits fell.

There was no mistaking the distinctive patterns of lights and gases. We were passing through the Crab Nebula. That meant that we were nearly to Spectra. I had to act before then. If I could escape this cell and access the control room of this vessel, I might be able to disable Zoltar and whatever guards were present, and take command of the ship in order to reach the nearest Federation planet. Unfortunately, what I really needed to break through these walls was Jason's blowtorch, and all I had was my yo-yo…

But that wasn't all! I reached into my belt pouch and drew forth a handful of Astro Bombs. I didn't know how many of these I would need to break through the wall. However I was aware that in such a confined space, I risked injuring or even killing myself in the resulting explosion. It was a fine line to walk, especially given that I would likely only have one shot at this. After a brief moment, I decided to use two.

Of course, there was also the question of where to strike. If I blew out a wall that was on the side of the ship (such as next to the window) I would lose oxygen and be sucked out into the vacuum of space in short order. Since I knew that I had entered this vessel below the floor, I reasoned that it also was an outer wall of the ship. Mentally crossing my fingers, I chose to target the wall opposite from the window, deeming that most likely to be an appropriate exit.

I crouched down on the floor near the window, wrapping my wings around me, then quickly tossed out the two Astro Bombs toward my designated target. I ducked my head down just as the bombs exploded, feeling a searing heat pass across the back of my wings. My skin, already tingling from its brief contact with the electrical discharge from the force field's feedback loop, screamed in protest, yet the pain was but a momentary distraction. Smoke filled the small chamber, obscuring my vision in the already dark room.

Had it worked? Had I created an exit from my prison cell?

Before I could move to determine the success or failure of my escape attempt, the spacecraft jerked, sending my body crashing up against the ceiling before falling back to the floor.

"What are you doing, Commander?" Zoltar screeched through the communications system. "You've taken out most of my navigation controls! You're going to kill us both!"

I grimaced wryly. If I had to die, taking out Zoltar was the way to go. Yet if I could make it to the control room, perhaps I could manage to bypass the damaged systems. Zoltar's comment had unwittingly passed on information I had needed: we were alone on this ship, for better or for worse.

The smoke still impeded my vision and I did my best to remain close to the ground, where the air was still passably breathable. I crawled toward the opposite wall, desperate to find a way out. But the room jerked again, sending me flying about its small confines. I hurtled across the chamber and smacked into the window. What I saw beyond the glass made my blood run cold.

We were entering the Spectran atmosphere. It was too late.

Refusing to admit defeat, I forced my body across the room, smashing my arms and legs against its confines as the ship bounced and shook from passing through the gaseous outer layers of the planet Spectra. Desperately I ran my hands across the wall where my Astro Bombs had hit. The metal had caved in… I could feel the place of impact…

There was no hole. My attempt to break out of my prison had been unsuccessful.

The thick haze of smoke suddenly made sense. There was nowhere for it to go, and so it remained in the room, obscuring my vision further and clogging the air. Yet this was the least of my problems. I could hear Zoltar cursing and yelling as the ship jolted and jerked, plummeting toward the ground. It was evident that a crash landing was imminent.

There was nothing to hold onto, nothing with which to strap myself down, and so I bounced around the small chamber like a rag doll, unable to do anything but grit my teeth as I waited for impact.

My last thought was of Mark.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The first thing I noticed when I opened my eyes was that the smoke was gone. Then I recognized that I was squinting, and came to the realization that bright light was falling onto my face. As the rest of my body regained consciousness, I became aware of numerous aches and pains, cramped muscles, and a deep soreness that seemed to be emanating from the center of my bones. Yet I could move. My body stretched out, albeit not without protest.

Carefully I pulled myself up to a sitting position, assessing my surroundings. I was still in the small chamber on the ship, but a jagged tear in the wall gave evidence of the crash-landing I had somehow survived. It took me a moment to perceive anything outside of the craft other than a blinding light.

My visor and cerebonics adjusted to the intense sunlight, allowing me to view the bleak desert landscape that lay beyond the broken window and torn wall. There didn't appear to be anything out there… except sand.

Still, desert and sand were better than Zoltar. Slowly I stood up before moving carefully over to the recently-created exit. Silently I slipped through the crack, exposing myself to the full blast of both Spectran suns, their scorching heat instantly baking my skin, despite the protection offered by my Birdstyle. I glanced back at the ship. It was a small vessel, not much bigger than the escape pods Zoltar often used. Moving to the side of the craft, I could see why my blast had taken out the navigation systems. It seemed that my small prison had backed right onto the cockpit.

I didn't dare to investigate further, for fear of discovery. Instead I began moving away from the crash site, doing my best to avoid being seen from the ship. Unfortunately, there was not much else I could do to hide. This desert area was almost completely flat, with little in the way of cover. There was not so much as a dune to provide relief from the endless sea of yellow sand.

Yet the monotony of the view was the least of my concerns. I would be a sitting duck in this environment, easy to spot and even easier to track, since there was nothing to erase my footprints. All I could do was run, in the hope that I could reach some kind of cover before anyone came looking for me.

As I moved, I raised my communicator to my mouth.

"Commander, are you there? Mark?"

"Princess? Where are you?"

"Commander!" I nearly sagged with relief as I heard Mark's voice respond. "I've been taken to Spectra. Zoltar thinks he's captured you. It was a trap…"

"I know." His voice was heavy with self-recrimination. "This is my fault, Princess. I should never have…"

But the rest of his words were drowned out by the whine of approaching aircraft. My time had run out.

"Mark! They're coming!"

I wasn't even certain he had heard me, but I was no longer in a position to continue a conversation. Hopefully the Commander would be able to get a trace on my signal and figure out where I was on the planet. In the meantime, I had other things to worry about.

A shadow raced across the sand, passing to my right. I glanced back, spotting a Spectran mini-copter coming toward me. It was close enough for me to see the smirk on the green-uniformed pilot's face as he approached my position. Laser blasts hit the ground to my left: a warning as to my fate should I refuse to stop.

But I had another option. I fumbled with my belt pouch, pulling out an Astro Bomb before throwing it in the direction of the mini-copter. The bomb flew through the open side of the aircraft, exploding as it hit the interior. The smirking pilot disappeared from view as the ship was destroyed in a fiery blast.

I had eliminated my pursuer, but in doing so I had also announced my position to anyone else who might be in the area. The smoke drifting up from the blackened wreckage of the mini-copter would serve as a beacon for anyone else who wished to find me. All I could do was to continue fleeing, my footprints leaving a clear trail behind me in the sand.

A memory surfaced of another day when I had raced through an alien Spectran landscape, pursued by Zoltar's men. That had been on the northern continent of the planet, and instead of sand, my feet had slogged through the muddy waters of a swamp, my spirits dragging with each step I had taken. Yet I hadn't given up, despite the seemingly insurmountable odds… because Mark had been with me.

I had known then that Mark would protect me. No matter what happened, we would be in it together, and together we would survive. That Jason had arrived on the scene and defeated Zoltar's latest robot had been beside the point. Even without his intervention, I had known that I was safe with my Commander.

I couldn't give up now. I had been able to contact Mark. The Phoenix would be coming for me. I just had to hold on until they got here.

Yet it was difficult to keep myself from despairing as the drone of multiple mini-copters rose from behind me. Within moments, one ship moved forward, passing me on my left, cutting close to where I ran. Without hesitating I threw another Astro Bomb into its interior, but this time I didn't stop to assess the damage. The force of the explosion propelled me forward as much as my own terror. The muscles in my legs burned and my lungs gasped for air as I continued to run, not knowing what other course of action I could take. Laser blasts nipped at my heels, and somehow I eked out another burst of speed, frantically searching my brain for any other possible means of escape. I had a limited number of Astro Bombs, but on Spectra, Zoltar had many more troops at his disposal. No matter how many aircraft I destroyed, he would find more.

In the end, I was going to be killed or captured.

That was a defeatist way of thinking. I had to have faith. Somehow, I could get out of this. Yet as the sound of approaching aircraft grew louder, my confidence fell by the wayside.

"Stop!" called a voice in Spectran, the words echoing over some kind of broadcast speaker in order to be heard above the whine of the aircraft engines around it. "There is nowhere to run. You must surrender now, or face the consequences of your actions."

The ultimatum stirred something within me. I was a member of G-Force. G-Force did _not_ surrender. I would rather die attempting to escape than surrender myself when there was another possible alternative. I was unfamiliar with Spectran geography. Perhaps in a few hundred meters there would be a dropoff and I could glide down to a different landscape entirely. Perhaps the suns would set and the Spectran pilots would be unable to find their way in the dark.

Or perhaps…

One pilot moved close behind me, enough that his shadow fell beneath my feet. It was almost within reach.

I slowed slightly, throwing out my yo-yo as the mini-copter moved closer, attaching my weapon to the underside of the aircraft. The pilot, unnerved by the sudden jolt, moved the ship upward and I trailed along behind, holding onto my yo-yo while slowly retracting the cord. Without warning, the mini-copter dove, throwing me back and putting me on a direct course with the ground. I arched my back, flipping around and vaulting my body over and upward into the cockpit of the aircraft while snapping my weapon back into my hand. The pilot turned just in time to see my boots impacting with his head. Unfortunately for him, he hadn't been wearing a seatbelt. As a result, he went tumbling out of the ship, falling to the sand below even as I grabbed the flight stick and maneuvered away from the ground.

My piloting skills were nowhere near those of Mark or Tiny, but I had gone through basic training on multiple air and space craft, and had flown the Phoenix on occasion. Yet at that moment all I relied upon was instinct, turning the vessel around and aiming its laser cannons at the other ships near my position. Three surprised Spectran pilots stared back at me, frozen in shock even as the first of their number fell prey to my shooting ability. The remaining two panicked, firing randomly and attempting to flee from the unexpected threat I presented. It took less than a minute to eliminate the remainder of my pursuers.

A tear slid down my cheek as the reality of my situation filtered into my brain. I had eliminated my pursuers, but more importantly, I had found a better means of travel. My eyes fell upon the navigation system, where an aerial map was displayed.

Cebera, a large city on Spectra's Western Continent, lay three hundred kilometers to the north. In the mini-copter, I could travel there in a little over an hour, presuming my fuel supply was sufficient. I checked the gauge, sighing with relief. There was enough. I could fly to the city, setting down in the outskirts of the urban area, then detransmute and do my best to blend in with the local population while waiting for the rest of the G-Force Team. It was far more than I had hoped for only a few minutes ago.

Yet an annoying thought niggled at the back of my mind. This was too easy. I was missing something…

The fuel! The gauge indicated that the fuel tanks were nearly full. If I was truly in the middle of nowhere, how could that be possible?

The mini-copters had to have come from somewhere close by. Wherever that had been, it wasn't a safe place for me. It also meant…

Before I could even finish the thought, a deep rumbling filled the air, surrounding me with its ominous presence. There was nothing ahead of my position, but as I looked down at the radar display my heart skipped a beat.

Whatever was behind me was a colossal machine. Quickly I maneuvered the mini-copter around, only to behold a robot carrier of massive proportions. Giant hangar doors were opening on its sides, allowing a fleet of high-powered fighter jets to stream forth.

The odds were against me, but I had overcome such odds only a few minutes before. Grimly I assessed the oncoming fighters, looking for any weakness in their defense. Perhaps their fuel tanks would be a good target. I took aim and fired before the first fighter even got off a shot. Just as I had hoped, its fuel tank blew up with the heat from the laser blast, the sudden explosion catching two other nearby pilots by surprise as they were caught in the resulting rain of fiery debris. Three opponents were down.

Yet these three were just the tip of the iceberg. More fighters continued to emerge from the massive robot carrier. I steeled myself against fear, concentrating only on my next target, reaching for the firing mechanism…

Just as I pulled the trigger, I found myself caught in a hail of plasma bullets. My limited piloting skills were stretched to their maximum, and found wanting. I was unable to avoid all of the incoming fire, and within moments the mini-copter was spinning out of control, plummeting toward the ground.

Unlike the previous occupant of the mini-copter, I was able to jump free of the ship to avoid imminent disaster, however my sense of direction was impaired, thanks to the rapid spinning of the ship and the large volume of thick smoke pouring forth from its engine. I found myself landing on the sand, rolling twice before coming to my feet.

My head whipped around as I tried to see through the oily smoke, but my hesitation was my undoing. Before my astonished eyes a silvery rocket crashed into the ground, detonating upon impact. The force of the resulting explosion catapulted me into the air, tossing my body aside like a rag doll.

I landed face first, clouds of gritty dust and a smoky haze obscuring everything in sight. As the air began to clear I realized that most of by body was covered with sand and debris. I struggled to stand, but instead of moving, my face only sank back into the sand as I found my energy completely depleted. My exhaustion was so utterly complete that even a cerebonic boost did little to restore my strength. I had been running on adrenaline for far too long, and now I was suffering through the aftereffects of that massive energy burn. My entire body screamed with pain, but I pushed the agony aside, willing my muscles to work. I had to get out of here before the Spectrans found me…

A click at my ear informed me that it was already too late. The sound repeated twice more, and I didn't need to look to know that the muzzles of three Spectran laser rifles were positioned only centimeters from my head. At such a close range, my helmet would provide little protection against a direct hit.

"Can't even lift your face out of the dirt, Commander?" Zoltar's voice sneered. "I expected more from the leader of G-Force." His voice was sickly sweet, yet carried a clear undertone of menace.

"Restrain him!" Zoltar snapped, and I felt people scrabbling through the sand and debris covering my body to grab at my arms and legs.

"Don't make any sudden movements." he cautioned me, his voice getting closer to my ears. "We wouldn't want these soldiers to start getting itchy trigger fingers." Without warning, I felt fingers pushing roughly across my cheek, digging under my chin, pulling my face upward…

"What…?"

I stared into Zoltar's face as his eyes moved from emotion to emotion. Shock, disappointment, disgust, frustration, anger… all playing across the visible lines of his face. I glared in defiance, which at this moment was the only resistance of which I was capable.

"You're not the Commander!" Zoltar hissed.

"And you're not as smart as you thought, are you, Zoltar?" I taunted him. "You caught the wrong person."

"Wrong person or not, I'll have my satisfaction!" the Spectran Leader insisted, jerking my head up violently as other hands lifted my body. I found that I was unable to move my arms or legs, although I had not felt any restraints being placed upon me.

"Since you've taken the place of your Commander, you'll have to continue doing so." Zoltar snarled. "I had plans for him… which are now my plans for _you_." His eyes glowed with a malevolent light, and it was all I could do to project a quiet confidence that I did not feel. Whatever trouble I had caused Zoltar today, he would pay it back a thousandfold.

Of that I was certain.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

I was brought into the massive robot carrier under my own power. Apparently the restraints around my body had been created with some kind of energy field, and a soldier next to me controlled the field's strength and coverage with a handheld data pad. He had released my legs from just above my knees to my toes, giving me a small amount of mobility with which to walk onto the Spectran ship.

Given that I was upright and moving slowly, I had a chance to examine my surroundings. The interior of the robot carrier was stocked with a wide variety of warships, from the mini-copters all the way up to armored personnel carriers and bulky space tanks. The main robot itself was like no Spectran ship I had ever seen, and I quickly determined why. A brief glance at the control panels and readout monitors lining the walls made it clear that this vessel was not capable of space flight. I shuddered to think of what could happen if such a behemoth were able to invade Federation planets.

Now that he had made his threats, Zoltar kept his distance from my person, although I could see that he was watching my movement closely. I guessed that I had unnerved him more than he cared to admit, between my escape attempts and my assumption of Mark's place. The Spectran Leader's uniform was torn and blackened in various places, and I could now see that his left arm was wrapped up in a field sling. It seemed that he had fared worse than I during our crash landing.

The obvious thing to have done would have been to send out a signal to Mark using G-Force secret code, yet I was unable to move my wrists by a millimeter, much less the centimeter or two I would need to tap the faceplate and initiate the transmission. I had managed to contact the Commander earlier; all I could do was hope that it was enough. Mark knew that I had been taken to Spectra. He would be coming for me.

The soldiers escorting me continued pushing me forward, so much so that once or twice I nearly fell over. I capitulated, acting as if I were meekly submitting to their demands, when in fact the opposite was true. I could never give up. To give up was to betray G-Force… to lose faith in Mark.

And that was something I could never do.

88888

I was locked in a cell even smaller than the one I had inhabited during my journey to Spectra. It was cylindrical in shape, perhaps a meter in diameter and less than three meters high. My feet were encased in the energy field once again, so I was forced to lean against the wall in my state of virtual paralysis. My body was exhausted, yet my frantic mind refused to rest. I had no idea what the Spectrans had planned for me, yet my fertile imagination conjured up nightmarish images that would have caused my knees to tremble, had I not been restrained within the energy field.

However it wasn't long before I was hauled out of the cylindrical cell, my lower legs freed from the energy restraints, and forced to walk once more. I kept my head down, assuming a submissive pose that I hoped would lure Zoltar into a false sense of security. I did not want the Spectran Leader to know that there was still a great deal of fight left in me, even now.

As I passed by the controls and readout monitors once more, I glanced over to check their readings. I had to choke back a gasp of shock. I had been taken to Spectre City: capital of not only the planet Spectra, but the entire Spectran Empire. Federation intelligence regarding Spectre City was sorely lacking, as no one who was not of pure Spectran blood was allowed within one hundred kilometers of the bustling metropolis. This made it difficult for Galaxy Security to obtain proper intelligence on Spectran activities, which had hindered Federation war efforts for nearly a decade. That I had been taken here now… the implications were many, and staggering.

However I saw nothing of the mysterious city as I exited the robot carrier, instead being led through an enormous hangar and into windowless corridors, their bland monotony making them seem nearly endless as we passed by a series of plain metallic doors. Eventually we reached an elevator, and I was forced inside, escorted by nearly a dozen guards as I descended down over a kilometer into the planet's crust. My eyes were fixed upon the display panel indicating the distance we had journeyed, and my spirits plummeted with each passing meter. It was clear that we had to be deep underground, and I instantly understood that wherever I was being taken, this elevator was likely the only passageway in or out. My gaze flickered around the interior of the small chamber, noting a small control panel beneath the display indicator, and a maintenance hatch in the right rear corner of the ceiling. Unfortunately, I was hardly in a position to make use of either of these two discoveries.

When the doors to the elevator eventually opened, it was to reveal another featureless corridor, nearly identical to the one far above. Yet I noted tiny differences: additional air vents, fewer doors, and many more guards.

After a short walk down the hallway, I was stopped at a door that looked exactly like the others I had passed, without any distinguishing mark whatsoever. My escort guards stepped aside, allowing a man in a bright blue bodysuit with his hair arranged in a lion's mane fashion to place his hand on the access pad. The door slid open, revealing a plain, dark room beyond.

"Go in." Captain Lion's Mane ordered. His voice was cold and emotionless, as if I were a robot rather than a living being.

I hesitated, uncertain as to what might become of me, were I to set foot in such a place, but my escorts were impatient, and pushed me forward. I stumbled, running as best I could with my thighs forced together, until I crashed into the wall opposite the door. Before I was even able to catch my breath, the door slammed shut and I was left alone in the dark.

A few seconds later, my restraints suddenly vanished, and I found myself collapsing to the floor with the unexpected lack of support. I groaned softly, picking myself up off of the ground and doing what I could to examine my new surroundings. A dim blue light appeared on the wall, providing enough illumination for my cerebonically-enhanced eyes to see.

The room was about two square meters in size, with about half of the available space taken up by a hard bunk of some kind. The only facilities were a small drain in the corner of the room, with a small metal bowl protruding from the wall next to it. When I ran my hands across the bowl water began to flow, and a small indicator light informed me that whatever allotment I had been given was rapidly decreasing. I quickly pulled my hands back. Who knew how much water I would require, and when this meager amount might be replenished?

A thin, rectangular panel opened in the wall, and something slid through. It remained attached to the wall, and I saw that it was some kind of shelf. Upon the shelf lay a tray bearing food. I suddenly realized that it had been a long time since I had last slept, eaten, or used a restroom. At least twenty-four hours… perhaps more. It was difficult to tell how long it had been since I had been captured inside of Zoltar's escape pod.

Recognition of how long it had been since these physical needs had been fulfilled only brought them on more strongly. Sighing reluctantly, I made use of the 'facilities' in the corner, wasting a precious bit of water to wash up afterward. Then I moved over to examine the food that had been delivered.

The tray contained what looked like a piece of coarse, brown bread, and some kind of pureed starch mixed with a green vegetable. There was also a soft plastic container holding some kind of translucent purple liquid. I didn't recognize any of the ingredients in any of the items, but that was hardly surprising. Spectrans were very secretive about their society and customs, and in the Federation little was known about their daily lives. Briefly, I wondered if this fare was typical, or a low level meal fit only for prisoners. There were no eating utensils provided, which didn't surprise me at all.

I tasted a tiny bit of the bread, allowing my cerebonics to analyze the nutritional content and other chemical qualities of this new food item. It was extremely salty, but otherwise my implant told me that it was edible, and wouldn't cause me any harm. The same was true of the starch/vegetable puree, although this dish was heavily seasoned with some kind of hot spice. I was forced to scoop it up with the bread, given the lack of a spoon.

Between the saltiness and the hot seasonings, I quickly earned an overwhelming thirst. Suspiciously, I reached for the plastic container, holding it carefully so that the contents would not spill, and removed the cap, passing it briefly across the tip of my tongue. It didn't take long for my cerebonics to send out an alarm, warning me that the drink was heavily laced with some kind of narcotic. The nature of the food that had been given to me finally made sense. Carefully I brought the plastic container to the drain in the corner of the room and poured its contents down the dark hole. I returned to the food, eating as much of it as I could. When I could bear no more thirst, I took a handful of precious water from the bowl and drank. The water was warm and stale, and smelled vaguely of chlorine, but my cerebonics told me that it was fit for consumption, albeit barely. I finished the meal, and along with it, another handful of water. The indicator on the bowl informed me that this would be the last.

After I ate, I contemplated what to do next. The obvious choices were to cooperate with whatever Zoltar had in mind, or to attempt an escape. Clearly escape was the only viable option. It suddenly occurred to me that thanks to the haste with which I had been re-captured in the desert, I still had all of my weapons. Would it be best to attempt an escape from this cell, or to wait? I was running out of Astro Bombs, but my yo-yo held infinite charges, thanks to the rechargeable power cell Chief Anderson had had installed. I also had a small amount of plastique and a timer in my bootheels. If I could use that to blast open the door, then…

I sighed, realizing the depth of my predicament. Even if I were to make it into the hallway, would I be able to enter the elevator that was the only exit from this underground prison? If I made it up the elevator, would I be able to find my way to the surface, or to a ship with which to effect an escape? The possibility was there, but slim. I probably only had one more chance at this before I was disarmed, and I had to make it count.

If this cell was anything like the walls of the escape pod, it would take a lot of explosives to blast a hole through it, much less one large enough for me to exit the room. It was entirely possible that I wouldn't even get as far as the corridor. I ground my teeth in frustration.

A purple light flickered on the wall, and a large rectangle formed, resolving itself into an image of Zoltar's smirking countenance. I faced the wall, composing my own features into a mask of utter indifference while feigning grogginess from the narcotics I had been 'administered' through the purple liquid.

"I hope you're comfortable in your assigned quarters, Princess." Zoltar cooed in an oily tone. "We've given you the very best accommodations Spectran Military Headquarters has to offer prisoners of state."

"Prisoner of state?" I nearly laughed out loud. "You make it sound like I'm trying to overthrow your government. My only desire is to have the Spectrans leave the Federation and its citizens alone."

"Your status is not in question." Zoltar's eyes hardened for a moment before regaining their previous sneering light. "And it is not your place to do so. Your rights, such as they are, are clearly spelled out under Spectran law, and they will be followed to the letter. Your 'desires' are irrelevant, and will not be given consideration."

"I expected as much." I admitted with a sardonic twist of my lips. It was an expression worthy of Jason.

"Then you will not be surprised to learn that your trial will begin tomorrow morning." Zoltar concluded in a superior tone, his eyes watching me intently. "And be assured, the evidence against you is staggering, to say the least. Your fate has been sealed by your own actions."

The purple light disappeared, leaving a brief after-image, which dissipated slowly. But my mind was racing as I processed everything Zoltar had said.

A trial… that meant that it was likely that I would be taken from this cell to whatever passed for a courtroom here on Spectra. And if that facility was above ground, then I would have a chance.

Tomorrow morning, when the Spectrans came for me, they wouldn't know what hit them.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Before I had myself any form of respite, I determined my strategy for the following morning, laying out my planned course of action. I only had one shot at this, and I wanted it to count.

The key lay in a small discovery I had made only moments before. I had tried to contact Mark on my communicator, knowing that I had to make the attempt, despite the likely outcome that such a transmission would not get through to its intended destination. Yet when I had tried to initiate a broadcast, a strange, high-pitched hum had emanated from my wrist. Curiously, I had examined the device, and my resulting discovery had been most illuminating.

My communicator had been reset.

A reset was common enough: it was something that was required whenever our wristlets were damaged, so that the self-repair cycle could be initiated. Since our communicators were linked to our cerebonics, activation of the reset was simply a thought, the message passed through our neurons to our implants and then to the device on our arms. Yet in this case, I hadn't authorized a reset. This function had been performed by something else.

The only thing I knew of that could reset the communicator without my involvement was a high frequency broadcast in the Gamma Lurian Range. Such frequencies were rare, having only been discovered a few decades before in a remote portion of the galaxy. There was no known technology that used such frequencies, as they were considered to be unstable and easily interruptible, under certain circumstances.

Was it possible that the energy restraints that had been placed around me were based on Lurian frequencies? How like the Spectrans to use such untried scientific methods! They had done as much before, testing new technologies in battle rather than in a laboratory. Such safety procedures were considered too time-consuming for Zoltar.

Yet I could take advantage of the Spectran Leader's impatience. I set my cosmic communicator to emit an ionized flandon pulse every sixty seconds. The pulse would disrupt Lurian frequencies, and I hoped that this would be sufficient to interfere with the energy restraints as well. Ideally I could set it to emit an ongoing pulse, but I feared that if the restraints did not immediately function as the Spectrans expected, they would be suspicious of my actions. It would be better to wait and take them by surprise.

In case this maneuver didn't work, I placed my two remaining Astro Bombs in one of my bootheels, leaving the plastique in the other. With an appropriate flick of my foot, I could toss out the Astro Bombs, hopefully buying myself some time to escape, even if the energy field hadn't completely dissipated.

My timer was relegated to a hidden pocket inside of my wings, leaving only my yo-yo out in the open. I knew that if the guards had the foresight to disarm me, their suspicions would rise if my primary weapon could not be found.

It was only after all of these preparations had been made that I permitted myself to succumb to my intense fatigue. Despite my uncomfortable circumstances and my active thoughts, the physical exhaustion I felt forced my body to sleep.

I was awoken by a loud bang. My eyes opened to see a large group of green-uniformed Spectran guards, along with Captain Lion's Mane. Fortunately, being a part of the G-Force Team meant that I was used to waking instantly, and I was able to immediately stand to meet my captors. I glared at them, yet purposely injected a measure of exhaustion into my expression in an attempt to appear as if I was exhibiting a false bravado. Two soldiers leered at me, roughly pulling me forward and reaching behind my back. I hung my head, placing my hands behind me, assuming a posture of defeated acceptance. Another guard stepped in front of me and began roughly going through my belt compartments. His hands roamed too freely for my liking, yet I did my best to ignore his actions. I had to wait for the right moment.

Sure enough, he found my yo-yo, and seemed disappointed to come up empty-handed otherwise.

"Now I've got myself a little trophy." he chortled, placing my weapon into his pocket. I refused to acknowledge his statement. I was so involved in suppressing my anger that I almost missed a small sensation on my back. A tiny device had been placed on my wings. But no sooner had I determined this then I found my body once again encased in the energy field. I smiled inwardly. So that was how it worked!

I kept my head down, refusing to speak, shuffling along as best I could with everything between my neck and my knees held in place by the energy restraints. As had happened the previous day, I was surrounded by a dozen guards, a full squadron, and we proceeded in Keystone Cop fashion to the elevator at the end of the hall.

Approximately ten meters from the elevator, I felt the energy restraints dissipate.

With my hands behind my back, it was easy to surreptitiously snatch the device from my back, then hold my hands over the spot on my wings to which it had been attached. Using one hand to cover the other, my fingers pressed together, crushing the device until I was certain that it could not be repaired. I breathed an inward sigh of relief.

By this time we were entering the elevator. The guards crowded in around me, the thirteen of us taking up all available floor space in the small box. I felt the chamber begin to rise.

I kept my eye on the depth display, waiting until I judged that we had ascended approximately two thirds of the way to the surface. The time had come.

I raised my right leg between two guards in a drop kick, flicking my foot as the kick reached its peak. The soldiers barely had time to evince their surprise at my action before my Astro Bombs hit the control panel. I ducked down to the floor, taking cover behind the guards in front of me. Their bodies acted as human shields, protecting me from the full brunt of the resulting explosion.

Suddenly the air was filled with smoke. I leapt upward in the confusion, clinging to the ceiling even as the guards who had not been injured by the explosion pulled their guns and began firing into the darkness. I remained above them, smirking to myself as their laser blasts only hit each other and disabled the elevator still further. Only a few seconds had passed since I had begun my escape, yet they had been deadly for the Spectrans. From what I could see through the smoke, eight of them had either been killed by the explosion or the following laser fire, leaving only four remaining. I kicked out with my feet, crushing skulls and smashing my bootheels into their throats as I flipped and turned. It was only another few seconds before the remaining men were dead.

Wasting little time, I bent down, reaching into the pocket of a soldier with laser burns on his face, retrieving my yo-yo.

"I hope you enjoyed your trophy." I muttered, stepping on his head as I leapt back up to the ceiling. With the smoke from the explosion, it was becoming difficult to breathe, yet I managed to hold on until I found the maintenance hatch I had espied on my first journey in this elevator. I yanked the door open, allowing damp, cool air to flood the chamber, then scrambled through the small opening.

"Stop!" a voice called, and I understood that in my haste I had been careless. Someone had been left alive inside the elevator. I looked around, realizing that I was standing on top of the elevator chamber, inside a long, dark shaft. Before I could further assess the situation, a green-masked head popped through the hatch.

In a flash my yo-yo was out of my hand and wrapped around the man's neck. I tugged sharply, garroting him before he could even emerge through the small door. I retracted the cord, then kicked him back inside of the elevator for good measure. I didn't need anyone alive to alert Zoltar as to what had happened.

Naturally, I understood that my escape would not remain undetected for long. Once the elevator failed to arrive at its intended destination, the Spectrans would be suspicious. But I had to keep them guessing, unaware of exactly what had happened, and unable to predict my movements.

Above me the elevator shaft rose, a series of cables all that occupied the dark space. Eagerly I stretched my wings, flying upward, leaping from the cable to the walls of the shaft and back to the cable, using my surroundings to pull myself ever upward. The distance was longer than I expected, yet I persevered, doing my best to maintain a momentum and burn as little energy as possible.

I would need everything I had once I reached the top.

The ceiling of the shaft finally came into view, and to my dismay, it was as I had expected: there was no way out save the elevator doors. I had to presume that Zoltar would already have learned that the elevator had not arrived as scheduled, and posted additional guards.

They would be ready for me.

The only advantage I had was that they didn't know when I would get there, or how I would exit. They had chosen the battleground, but I had the advantage of timing.

Silently I shimmied up the cable, leaning out until my helmet was nearly touching the elevator door, listening for anything that might give away the Spectrans' intentions. Sure enough, I heard the voices of men milling around on the other side. I was unable to catch any specific words, yet it was clear that they had to be waiting for me. As quietly as I could, I pulled the plastique from my other bootheel, lining it carefully along the crack where the elevator doors met in the middle of the panel, shaping the material such that the force of the blast would burst into the corridor beyond, and away from the elevator shaft. When I was done I pulled back, surveying my handiwork.

It would have to do. It was now, or never.

I threw out my yo-yo, sticking it into the plastique, then used my weapon to detonate the explosive material. I took cover behind my wings as the door blew apart, then plunged straight ahead through the flaming debris of the panels that had covered the exit only a second before.

The corridor was a blackened mess of twisted metal and shouting men in scorched green uniforms. I paid no attention to the pandemonium as I tore through the area, noting the large numbers of downed soldiers at my feet. Clearly the explosive had been as effective as I had hoped. Most guards were too caught up in attempting to locate assistance for their downed comrades, but a few men noticed my passage. Their reward for their keen eyes was the impact of my yo-yo smacking their heads. Without exception, they crumpled to the floor, just a few more unconscious bodies to join the chaotic mess surrounding them.

Within moments I was sprinting down the corridor, unhindered by guards. Yet a shrill ringing resounded in my ears: an alarm had been activated. It was too much to hope that the bell tolled only to notify others of a medical emergency; I had to assume that the harsh screeching was meant to bring down the wrath of the Spectran military upon my head.

I put on a burst of speed, my destination clear in my mind. As I ran, I sped by men in uniform, all of whom appeared startled to find me in their midst, yet didn't hesitate long before giving chase. I was ahead of them, yet only barely.

Ahead of me loomed my destination: the hangar in which I had disembarked the previous day. My best chance was to find a spaceworthy vessel and hightail it out of the area while the Spectrans were still reeling in confusion at my escape. I raised my communicator, attempting to contact Mark, yet all I heard was a burst of static.

Behind me, the number of pursuers had grown to a sizeable group: enough men that I would have to address the situation. Yet I didn't have the time to stop for a pitched battle. Every second I wasted getting to the hangar and commandeering a spacecraft significantly decreased my chances of escape.

But as I passed through the corridor approaching the hangar, my eyes fell on exactly what I needed. Ahead of me, workmen were welding new metal plates onto the walls, their equipment scattered about them. As I leapt over the mess of materials, I snatched up a tool, activating it the moment it touched my fingertips. Quickly, I tossed the burning blowtorch into a nearby pile of compressed gas cells, of the sort that provided fuel to tools such as these.

The few seconds it took for the blowtorch to do its work were just enough for my pursuers to catch up to the scene. The cells overheated, exploding one after the other in a domino effect, effectively creating a barrier across the corridor past which the Spectran guards could not follow.

I grinned widely as I entered the hangar, almost enjoying myself now that the tension was beginning to leave my body. The few personnel in the area appeared to be workmen, who quickly ducked out of the way when they saw me coming. My eyes lit upon exactly what I had been looking for: a fleet of Spectran Space Fighters. Such spacecraft were relatively simply to pilot, were equipped with a fair amount of weaponry, and capable of Time Warp.

Just what I needed.

I practically flew across the hangar, making for the vessel at the forefront of the group. Only fifty meters away. Thirty meters. Twenty meters…

A black shape dropped down in front of me. I moved to dodge the unexpected obstacle, yet another dark form appeared to block my way. Whirling, I found that in my eagerness to escape, I had let down my guard and run right into another Spectran trap.

I was surrounded by Blackbirds.

My time had run out, yet after everything I had been through, I refused to surrender peacefully. If the Spectrans wanted me, they would have to pay the price.

Immediately, I lashed out with my weapon, twirling my yo-yo about my body in an attempt to take out as many opponents as possible. The black shapes approached me, and I unleashed a fury of attacks: fists, feet, arms, legs all attacking in unison, dealing death blows to anyone who approached. Yet the assault continued, pushing forth upon me until my limbs were aching and my body felt ready to drop from exhaustion. Still, it seemed that I was making progress. The sea of black in front of me had begun to clear.

I could still make it!

Just as the thought went through my head, a searing pain engulfed my body, and a malevolent darkness reached forth to claim my consciousness.

I had failed myself, and my Commander.

88888

"You insolent fool! How could you have let such a thing happen?"

The sound of Zoltar's enraged voice pulled me out of the darkness. I opened my eyes slightly: mere slits, but enough to witness what was going on in front of me.

I was lying on the floor of the hangar. My arms and legs appeared to be shackled together. What was more, those shackles appeared to be bolted to the floor itself. In front of me, Zoltar's red boots paced back and forth, around familiar blue legs. I smirked inwardly to realize that Captain Lion's Mane was taking the brunt of Zoltar's disapproval, on my behalf.

"I saw her safely onto the elevator with my best squadron." Captain Lion's Mane insisted. "The data relays inside the control panel were destroyed. We have no way of knowing what happened in there. Perhaps one of the guards was careless…"

"She escaped from her energy restraints!" Zoltar raged. "You assured me that wasn't possible!"

"I told you that it _shouldn't_ be possible, my Lord." Captain Lion's Mane rushed to defend himself. "But the technology is still in the experimental stages…"

"And why is that, Mandakar?" Zoltar sneered. "I gave you personnel, resources! It should have been finished!"

"What I needed was time, my Lord." Mandakar replied. "We needed time to experiment with the device, and that time was not given. Now, our only prototype has been destroyed." It was clearly an effort for the Captain to maintain a polite tone.

"You knew how important this was!" Zoltar cried, his hands waving sharply in the air. "I warned you! She was not to show any signs of ill treatment! Now I have to parade her around in those things!" He gestured toward me, and I realized that he was speaking about my restraints.

"She has not been ill-treated." Mandakar insisted. "We even fed her."

"But when the people see her in those chains, they will think otherwise!" Zoltar screeched. "And there's been all this delay. We were scheduled to begin this morning, and now it's well after noon!"

"I regret the delay, my Lord." Mandakar shifted nervously from foot to foot.

"You'll regret it when I take it out of your hide!" Zoltar hissed. "It is _my_ reputation on the line. _Mine_! Now get her into that courtroom! Immediately!" The Spectran Leader stomped angrily from the room, reminding me of an infuriated toddler.

"Imagine the trouble we would have had if that idiot had actually managed to capture the G-Force Commander, instead of this little girl." Mandakar muttered to himself.

Captain Lion's Mane must have seen me bristling at his comment, as Mandakar smirked at me in a superior fashion before gesturing to his men.

"You heard Lord Zoltar! Get this one to the courtroom. Immediately!"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

While the chains around my body were tight, they allowed a tiny degree of movement. As I was none-too-gently assisted to my feet, I was able to determine that my yo-yo had once again been taken from me. Now I was without weapons of any kind, but I still had my mind, and my uniform. I could fly and fight, and that was more than these goons could do.

Of course, they weren't the ones in chains.

I flexed my muscles slightly, testing the strength of the metal around me. Surprisingly, it was relatively light and flexible. I probably couldn't break them, but Tiny might have been able to do so. With a start, I realized that chains of the same sort were in use in the hangar, holding aircraft down to the floor and roping off various areas. I guessed that the Spectrans had used whatever was close to hand to control me. But not all of my restraints were of a makeshift nature. The metal cuffs around my wrists and thighs were clearly sophisticated technological devices, similar to those used on the Federation planets.

I moved slowly, partly to disguise what little mobility I had, and partly to annoy Zoltar, who seemed to be in a hurry for me to get to the courtroom. I certainly didn't have to play on his schedule.

My entire body ached with a burning sensation that was fading, but still clearly present. I realized that I had been hit with the stun setting of a plasma cannon. No wonder I had blacked out! Yet… why had the Spectrans used the stun setting, rather than simply killing me outright? Zoltar truly did want me in that courtroom. What was he going to do?

Whatever it was he intended, I would have to thwart those plans. Of course, not knowing what was in store put me at a significant disadvantage, but I resolved to take every opportunity to hinder him.

The soldiers accompanying me were frustrated with my slow pace, and began prodding my roughly with their rifles.

"Faster!" they barked.

"I'm doing the best I can." I mumbled in a dispirited fashion. "These chains are pretty tight, you know."

"No less than you deserve, G-Force bitch." a guard behind me snarled. I refused to respond, but did not increase my pace.

"Move!" I was pushed from behind so hard that I began to stumble forward. I would have fallen to the floor if the men in front of me hadn't caught my body.

"Stop that!" a guard in front snarled. "It's not helping!"

"Make me!"

"My pleasure!"

Before my astonished eyes, the soldiers around me began pushing and shoving each other, aggressively confronting each other, with me stuck in the middle. Unable to move out of the way or defend myself, I found my body buffeted back and forth as the men argued in physical fashion.

"What's going on here?"

Mandakar's authoritative voice cut through the din, and the men instantly ceased brawling. They stood at attention, reforming around me as they had initially been instructed. I turned to look behind me, watching the Captain's approach.

"What's the cause of all this?" Mandakar demanded.

"The prisoner was moving too slowly, Captain!" declared the soldier who had pushed me. "I simply encouraged her to move faster, as Lord Zoltar would have wished."

"He pushed her into me!" the guard in front growled. "He did on purpose! Ganpro's always targeting me!"

"I wasn't targeting you!" Ganpro snarled. "I was maneuvering the prisoner!"

"And what gave you the right to 'maneuver' her?" Mandakar's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You're not a Sergeant, Ganpro."

"I claim the right of vengeance." Ganpro's voice tightened. "For my brother."

"You brother?" Mandakar's forehead furrowed in momentary confusion. "Ah, Jantir was your brother, that's right. And he…"

"He was one of your former group of escorts." Ganpro glared at me, yet I simply stared blankly, as if I had not heard a word of the conversation. "Clearly he treated you too gently. Now, thanks to his soft heart, he's dead."

"A fair claim." Mandakar acknowledged. "And I would be willing to grant you the right, except for one thing."

"What's that?" Ganpro asked.

"Lord Zoltar has demanded that the G-Force female be brought to the courtroom immediately!" Mandakar shouted in the surprised Ganpro's face. "Your small-minded idiocy has resulted in further delays! When Zoltar asks who is responsible, I shall not hesitate to offer up your 'right of vengeance' as the cause of this disruption!" Ganpro cowered nervously under the Captain's wrath.

"We'll get here there, immediately, Captain!" he snapped to attention.

"Now!"

Once again I was hustled down the corridor, yet this time Ganpro kept his hands and his rifle to himself. I noticed the other guards snickering to themselves, and gathered that Ganpro wasn't too popular amongst his peers. Still, everyone had taken note of Mandakar's admonishment, and I found more than one Spectran soldier chivvying me along.

A few minutes later, we had passed into another building. The entire journey had been underground (or at least, through windowless corridors) yet I could now see a change in décor: from plain, metallic passageways to warm, wood-floored hallways with stark white walls. Pictures were spaced at common intervals, depicting various buildings of alien design, images of parading soldiers and cheering crowds, interspersed with portraits of Zoltar and Mala looking regal and larger than life. This had to be the justice building in which the courtroom was located.

As we moved further into the justice building, more and more people appeared in the hallways. Technicians, pompous-looking officials, green-uniformed soldiers and broadcasters lined the corridors, milling about as if awaiting something. As soon as they caught sight of our bizarre little group, it was clear that we were the ones whom they had been expecting. Everyone suddenly sprung into action, moving purposefully and swarming around us. A few of the broadcasters attempted to speak to my escort, but none of the guards said anything to them, although I could tell that a few of the men were pleased to be the center of attention.

We turned off of the main hallway and suddenly we were inside a massive chamber, nearly as big as the hangar. The room was decorated in an ornate fashion, but what took my breath away was not the gilded paneling or the marble floors, but the soaring wall of glass, displaying the beauty of Spectre City to everyone present. This justice hall was apparently situated on a hill or mountain, as the view of the metropolis looked down from above, as if to imply that the law saw all that happened within the capital city.

Just inside the doorway, an impeccably dressed man with overly coiffed hair was speaking into a broadcast camera in an intimate voice, as if he were confiding something special to each and every viewer.

"This is Tavis Demandro, speaking to you live from the Hall of Light in Spectre City." the man said, his winning smile plastered to his face. "We're still awaiting the arrival of the defendant, but word has it that she will be here shortly…" The man raised his arm toward the door and turned his head, his eyes falling upon our group as we paused in the entryway.

"Oh my!" he exclaimed in a delighted fashion, altering his speech to heavily accented Federan. "This is such a pleasure! Please, Miss… Swan? Would you be willing to say a few words to the people?" The men of my escort appeared starstruck and bemused. The way they acted implied that this Tavis Demandro was some kind of celebrity on Spectra.

Two could play at this game.

I stepped forward, stumbling as best I could, doing nothing to hide the chains that severely impeded my movement. I flashed a dazzling smile at the man, and was briefly gratified when he appeared to be enchanted by my reaction.

"I would love to address the people of the Spectran Empire." I gushed in flawless Spectran. "I'm so thrilled to be here in Spectre City. Of course, I haven't seen very much of it, being underground most of my time here, but now that I have been privileged to witness this gorgeous view from the mountaintop, I can appreciate the marvelous tales told about this mythical place." I nodded my head to indicate the windows on the other side of the chamber.

"Your Spectran is quite elegant." Tavis complimented me. "I'm so glad you are enjoying our exquisite capital. I would hate for us to leave a bad impression, given the nature of your visit."

"Of course, I too wish that my visit here were under different circumstances." I agreed, making a small moue. "Yet I am confident, because I know I have done nothing wrong. I am certain the wisdom of Spectran Law, once shone upon the facts of my case, will serve to illuminate the truth and set me free, so that I may be at leisure to enjoy the many delights this lovely city has to offer."

"What a marvelous sentiment!" Tavis clapped his hands in delight. "Why, Miss Swan, you are as captivating as you are beautiful. A jewel such as yourself would only be an asset to Spectran society. I don't suppose you could be persuaded to stay, once you are acquitted?" I grinned to myself. I had succeeded in charming this pompous ass. True, it wasn't much of a victory, but if he was impressed, then possibly so were the billions of viewers across the planets of the Spectran Empire. I had already witnessed that Zoltar cared about the opinions of the Spectran people. Perhaps this might sway things in my favor.

Even more importantly, I knew that Galaxy Security monitored all significant broadcasts from the Spectran Empire. If this truly was going out to all Spectran planets, then Chief Anderson would see a copy of this interview. I had managed to inform him that I was in Spectre City, being held underground, and that this 'Hall of Light' was on a mountaintop.

"What is going on?" Zoltar's angry voice cut through the area, and the Spectran Leader moved through the crowd toward my position. "What is the problem here?"

"Why, Lord Zoltar, I was just having a few words with the delightful Miss Swan." Tavis beamed. "Perhaps you would like to add your sentiments to hers, that justice will prevail on Spectra this fine day?"

"Yes, of course." Zoltar appeared nervous; it seemed that I had been right in playing on my assumption that he cared about the opinions of the people. "It's just that there has already been so much of a delay in the proceedings that I am anxious to get started."

"And what was the cause of this delay?" Travis asked curiously. Zoltar's face blanched, his words caught in his throat.

"Oh, you know how long it takes a girl to finish her toilette." I demurred, looking up innocently from underneath my eyelids. "And of course, it takes a fair amount of time for me to be adorned in this particular ensemble." I shrugged helplessly and did my best to indicate the chains that encompassed my body.

"Why…" Tavis stared, shocked, as if seeing my restraints for the first time. "That's horrible! Lord Zoltar, surely a refined young lady like this does not require such barbaric restriction? After all, she is most anxious to see the results of Spectran justice, and would never dream of any sort of impropriety."

"No, not at all." I agreed solemnly. "I am as anxious as anyone to see justice carried out in this courtroom."

"So you see?" Tavis declared in a puffed up fashion. "Such barbarism is hardly worthy of the Spectran Empire!" I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing at Tavis' outrage. The reasons behind Zoltar's initial desire to use the invisible energy restraints were becoming abundantly clear.

"Are you accusing me of being a barbarian, Mr. Demandro?" Zoltar asked in a sickly sweet voice.

"No, not at all!" Tavis rushed to cover his own behind. "I am simply asking you to demonstrate your lack of barbarism by removing the chains from this charming young woman." Zoltar scowled, doing a poor job of hiding his anger at being caught between a rock and a hard place. I had to admit that the foppish little broadcaster had neatly managed to corner the Spectran Leader better than I ever could.

"Remove the chains!" Zoltar barked at the guards surrounding me. They jumped in surprise, rushing to do the Spectran Leader's bidding. Yet I noticed that Zoltar pulled Ganpro aside, whispering something into his ear. Ganpro nodded, smiling nastily, before hurrying toward me to involve himself in the removal of my restraints. When others made to remove the metal cuffs around my wrists and thighs, he prevented his peers from doing so, and I understood that this had been Zoltar's compromise with public opinion.

"I am very appreciative of your consideration, Lord Zoltar." I simpered. "I hope that you will be as considerate with my personal possession, while it is in your hands."

"Personal possession?" Tavis asked curiously. "What personal possession?"

"Oh, just a trifle." I shrugged with sad resignation. "Something of sentimental value. A toy from my youth."

"A toy?" Zoltar sneered. "Surely you don't expect me to believe that we're speaking about a mere _toy_?"

"It's called a yo-yo." I explained, widening my eyes in a helpless fashion. "If you have access to Earth cultural data, you'll find that such devices have been popular playthings for centuries."

"This 'yo-yo' is a weapon!" Zoltar protested. "It has been used against hundreds of Spectran troops!"

"Surely you are exaggerating, Lord Zoltar." I smiled ingenuously for the camera. "I will admit, on occasion, I have had to use it in self defense. Of course, many everyday items can be used in such a fashion. Accidents can happen. Why, even a mere writing implement is capable of causing injury, if unintentionally used in an inappropriate fashion." I smiled inwardly as I thought of Jason's feather darts, which weren't too far off from writing quills of a few centuries back in Earth's history.

"I'm afraid, my dear, that it is simply not possible to return this 'sentimental item' to you at this time." Zoltar smirked condescendingly. "It would be highly inappropriate in this courtroom setting. However, you can rest assured that we are taking the utmost care with your plaything."

"I would expect nothing less from a man of your character, Zoltar." I replied sweetly. While the words were cloying in my mouth, I found that I was enjoying exploiting the Spectran Leader's newly discovered weakness. Besides, I had managed to convey the information that the Spectrans had control of my weapon. Chief Anderson would understand what kind of data could be gleaned if they analyzed the device, and be able to make appropriate adjustments to other G-Force equipment. For now, it was the best I could do to assist my teammates.

"I'm afraid that we must end this fascinating conversation." Zoltar smoothly changed the subject. "It is time for the proceedings to begin."

"Of course Lord Zoltar." Tavis bowed to the Spectran Leader. "May the light of the Luminous One every shine justice upon the citizens of the Empire. And, of course, on other civilized beings." I was hard put not to laugh at the expression on the man's face. It appeared that I had made a conquest, and for once, my miniskirt had had nothing to do with it.

"I am ever at your disposal, Tavis." I beamed, eager to retain the friendship of this man who was capable of backing Zoltar into a corner. "It was a pleasure meeting you."

"I must echo that sentiment, Miss Swan." Tavis replied, lifting my hand and pressing it lightly over his heart. Of course, his elegant gesture was ruined by the heavy cuff that bound my wrists together. His nose wrinkled in distaste at the restraint, but he made no further comment.

I smiled at the broadcaster one final time, before calmly following Zoltar and placing myself as he directed, in a chair facing the majority of the room. My escort followed along behind me, and I heard the distinctive hum of their energy rifles being activated.

"One false move, and they will fire at close range." Zoltar threatened in a low voice. "You have no chance of escape here."

"And why would I wish to escape from here?" I asked innocently.

"Don't play these games with me." Zoltar hissed. "Mr. Demandro may be a simpleton, but I am not. Cross me, and you will come to regret taking your Commander's place."

"Trust me, Zoltar," I smiled brilliantly, "I couldn't possibly regret saving my Commander from anything you had to offer him." I had expected the Spectran Leader to be angered by my response, but to my surprise he appeared pleased.

"I shall enjoy teaching you the error of such thoughts." he boasted. "Your time on Spectra will not be wasted, Princess. On the contrary, I have many things in store for you." He moved away, taking his place at a small podium in front of me and to my right.

It was an effort to maintain a serene expression on my face. This was no cheap bluster; Zoltar's confidence was sincere. He truly thought that he was in control, and that I had already been defeated.

What was I missing?

Fortunately for my sanity, there was no time to worry about it now. A crowd of observers was being seated in rows across from me, and an official was calling for order. My trial was about to begin.

"May the light of the Luminous One shine upon us, guiding us in wisdom and justice, allowing truth and righteousness to fill our minds this day." the official intoned.

"In the name of the Great Spirit." the observers chanted. It was clear that this was a formal routine with which they were familiar.

"Today we are honored by the presence of the High Ruler of Spectra, Lord Thalpurnium Zoltar, who will be representing the people of the Spectran Empire." the official continued. I had to stifle a small giggle. _Thalpurnium_? That was a new one on me. I wondered if Zoltar had had that embroidered on his backpack in kindergarten. Of course, the Spectrans probably found a name like 'Princess' just as amusing.

"Thank you, dear people." Zoltar addressed both the audience in the courtroom and those watching the broadcast. "It gladdens my heart to be here today, to act as your representative in this matter. And I am especially honored to announce that the Luminous One himself will judge over these proceedings. He is observing us as we speak, and at the conclusion of these proceedings, my sister, Mala will visit the sacred chamber of the Great Spirit to receive his verdict, which she will then deliver in this Hall of Light." The audience cheered, thrilled by this apparent personal intervention of the Luminous One. Yet I had to wonder if the alien entity would intervene at all. Was the Great Spirit truly watching these proceedings, or was this simply a ruse, to allow Mala to give whatever verdict she felt appropriate?

Either way, this didn't seem like it was going to be a 'fair' trial in any sense of the word. No wonder Zoltar was so confident!

And yet, there was one hope. I had seen only moments ago how seriously Zoltar took public opinion. Perhaps his position as Leader of the Spectran Empire wasn't as secure as Galaxy Security thought, or possibly it was some sort of emotional immaturity that caused him to yearn for the approval of the masses. Regardless, his reaction when I had played Tavis in front of the broadcast camera had been real. He had been completely unwilling to appear as anything other than the perfect leader he purported himself to be.

Yet Zoltar was far from a perfect leader. He was cruel, he was callous, and he had an incredible disregard for anyone who got in his way. Surely, somehow, I could bring these qualities to light.

As far as I was concerned, the official judgment in my trial had already been assured. What mattered now was the verdict of the Spectran people.

"Let the proceedings begin!" the official declared. The courtroom immediately fell silent. Zoltar took a step forward toward the audience, which was comprised primarily of brightly dressed civilians. They sat in rows in front of the towering windows that covered an entire wall, from floor to ceiling, looking out onto Spectre City. The backs of my audience were turned toward its beauty as they faced the spectacle of my trial.

Tavis had ensconced himself in the very front. He beamed at me, and despite myself, I felt a small glow of warmth. At least _someone_ in this room was rooting for me.

"Dearest people of the Spectran Empire, it is my duty to bring the truth to you today, so that justice may be done." Zoltar declared loudly, gesturing toward me. "This prisoner of state has committed uncountable crimes against the Empire. Her vile presence defiles this Hall of Light, and I shudder to bring her into your guileless company! Yet it is here that she will come to understand the enormity of her crimes, and finally face the consequences of her actions." The Spectran Leader paused for a moment to take a breath.

"Excuse me." I said politely, my voice soft, yet loud enough to be heard by everyone in the courtroom. "I have already explained to you, Lord Zoltar, that I am _not_ a prisoner of state. The Intergalactic Treaty, signed by the Spectran Empire over two decades ago, defines such a person as 'a citizen rebelling against their own legitimate government'. I am certainly not rebelling against the legitimate government of the Spectran Empire, nor do I decry your rule. Indeed, why would I rebel against such a beautiful and civilized society?" I gestured toward the gorgeous view, and the fascinated spectators. Tavis was not the only one who nodded vigorously at my statement.

"I only wish to protect my own society, which is equally beautiful and civilized, albeit in a different fashion from that of your own Empire." I continued. "I seek peace between our governments, that we may all live as we desire, safe and secure from harm."

"As a prisoner of state, the defendant is not permitted to speak." Zoltar intoned, as if he hadn't heard a word I had said. "Her statement shall be stricken from the record."

"But I am not a prisoner of state." I explained once again, adopting as patient a manner as was possible. "If anything, I am a prisoner of war. However, if you are willing, in front of these august witnesses, I would gladly represent the Federation in peace talks, so that we may end the unnecessary discord between our two peoples." The audience murmured amongst themselves, and I could see that my statement had taken them by surprise. It was clear that I wasn't the monster they had expected. Was it possible to turn this to my advantage, to extricate myself from whatever evil Zoltar had planned for me?

"The Luminous One has declared the defendant a prisoner of state: a traitor!" Zoltar announced boldly, without technically addressing me. "Do any here dare defy the word of the Great Spirit?" Instantly the audience quieted, many people bowing their heads and looking down at the floor in an uneasy fashion.

"I am a citizen of the Federation." I said quietly, yet the silence in the vast room was so absolute that no one missed my words. "I have never been a subject of the Spectran Empire. I would like to understand the reasoning of the Luminous One, that he has declared otherwise."

"You dare question the Great Spirit?" Zoltar's shocked question reverberated through the room.

"I simply wish to understand his reasoning." I repeated carefully. "I do not comprehend his ruling." It wouldn't do to have the Spectran people think I was questioning the right to the deity of their god.

"That is because you are a lesser mind." Zoltar smirked. "It is natural that you should not understand, nor is it required. It is only required that you obey."

"I have never sworn an oath of loyalty to the Great Spirit." I reminded him. "I bear him no personal enmity, yet neither do I serve him. While I respect the authority of Spectran law and this court, ultimately my masters are the leaders of the Federation."

"If you 'respect' Spectran law, as you claim, you will accept the word of the Great Spirit." Zoltar insisted gleefully. "It is he who will decide your fate, under our laws."

"I will respect Spectran law as long as I myself am treated respectfully." I replied calmly. "I am being told that I am a traitor to the Spectran Empire, which I do not understand, and as such I am not allowed to speak in my own defense. I am finding it difficult to respect such a system. Am I being given to understand that I have no rights as a sentient humanoid being?" A low murmur rustled through the audience, yet I was unable to determine its mood. Did the people approve of what I was saying, or resent me for it?

I knew that I was possibly being too aggressive, yet I refused to sit quietly and let Zoltar rant against me without speaking in my own defense. If I simply rolled over and played along, I would be sure to end up victim to Zoltar's twisted plans. It was better at least to _try_.

"My Lord Zoltar, may I speak?"

All eyes in the courtroom turned to Tavis Demandro, who was now standing close to the Spectran Leader's podium.

"Mr. Demandro, this is quite irregular." Zoltar appeared irritated at the interruption.

"I understand, my Lord. Yet I speak as a representative of the people." Tavis turned around, noting the nodding heads amongst the audience. "We too find it difficult to comprehend this ruling from the Great Spirit. Clearly this woman is not of Spectran origin, and as such we cannot understand why she is labeled a 'traitor'. Perhaps she could be permitted to speak in her own defense until such time as your demonstrate the wisdom of the Luminous One to we humble citizens?" He bowed deeply, covering his face from Zoltar's view. Yet as he raised his head, I caught a flash of an unmistakable grin…

Tavis winked at me.

I could not have been more shocked. This man, whom I had only just met, was putting himself on the line for me. There had to be something more going on here… but what was it?

Zoltar remained silent for a long moment, so much so that people in the room began to fidget nervously while awaiting his response. A thin sheen of sweat emerged on Tavis' face, and he remained frozen in his subservient position.

"I have considered your request, on behalf of the Spectran people." Zoltar said after some minutes. "It is not unreasonable, given the circumstances." My jaw fell open. Was Zoltar actually _agreeing_ to this? The Spectran Leader's jaw tightened and he glanced nervously at the broadcast camera. Finally, I understood. Zoltar was being held hostage himself, by the presence of the cameras. For whatever reason, he wanted to maintain a positive image with the Spectran people, and couldn't be seen as being unreasonable on the live broadcast. It seemed that he had once again fallen prey to this weakness.

"The defendant shall be allowed to speak in her own defense until it is proven that she may not do so." Zoltar declared. "At that time, all of her comments shall be stricken from the record and summarily dismissed." I grimaced wryly. Trust Zoltar to take the steel out of his concession. Still, I would be permitted to speak to the audience… an audience to whom Zoltar appeared beholden and who seemed… at least, as evidenced by the people in this courtroom… to have some small degree of sympathy for me.

There was much I owed to Tavis Demandro. The only question was why.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

After a short recess, the proceedings resumed. Zoltar began by listing the official charges against me.

"The defendant in question willingly took part in the following criminal operations:" Zoltar began, reading from a data pad. "The destruction of the Space Terrapin. Invasion of a Spectran lighthouse base, leading to its subsequent destruction. Destruction of the Giant Robot Squid. Purposeful sabotage of the main power generator of the Demon Robot. The kidnap and subsequent murder of Professor Hugo Doriarty before he could begin his rightful tenure as ruler of Spectra…"

I goggled in disbelief as Zoltar continued to read. It seemed like he was going to reference every single mission G-Force had ever had that involved Spectra. And as the time stretched onward, the Spectran Leader certainly didn't leave anything out. Missions that I had long forgotten were brought to the fore, operations long buried within my memory. The list seemed to stretch on forever, and I began to notice the signs of boredom amongst the spectators. At long last, Zoltar's recitation drew to a close, citing the most recent of G-Force assignments.

"Sabotage of the Banana Base and Sundae Robot. Desecration of the sacred shrine of Tyrannosaur and destruction of the accompanying base. Invasion of Data Recovery Installation on Rastum Prime and accompanying theft of Conway Tapes." the Spectran Leader concluded. Zoltar looked up from his data pad, appearing slightly miffed to discover that his audience was half-asleep.

"The defendant is so charged, and deemed guilty of all aforementioned crimes." Zoltar intoned loudly. Many of the spectators jerked in their seats as the Spectran Leader's loud voice suddenly brought them back from their idle thoughts to the happenings in the courtroom.

"I'm afraid I disagree with your interpretation of my actions, Lord Zoltar." I stated loudly. "It is not a crime to defend one's own property and possessions. You cannot name one instance where the G-Force Team acted in any manner other than in defense of Federation planets and the innocent people living in targeted areas. Our priority was always to save as many lives as possible."

"Yet you willfully destroyed Spectran bases and robots." Zoltar accused. "Wasted valuable resources of the Empire. Spectran soldiers have died as a result of your actions."

"G-Force always does its best to spare lives." I defended the actions of my Team. "I can personally attest to, and give details regarding, numerous situations where we did not take action, in order to ensure that lives, both Federation and Spectran, were saved. If you would like examples…"

"That is not necessary." Zoltar held up his hand impatiently. "I'm sure your 'examples' would only serve to portray your actions in the best possible light. But the truth is that G-Force is a team of terrorists, whose only aim is to destroy the Spectran Empire!"

"On the contrary, the primary objective of G-Force is to protect the Federation." I disagreed. "I would ask you to describe a situation in which G-Force did not act toward this purpose."

"I don't deny that you were acting on behalf of your precious Federation." Zoltar sneered. "However those actions included willful and wanton destruction of all things Spectran."

"There have been times we have been forced to destroy Spectran robots and bases, yes." I conceded. "However we have only done so when those vessels and installations were attacking Federation planets and citizens, or in defense of our own lives when their offensive powers were focused on the G-Force Team itself. The sad truth is that much as I would prefer it not to be so, we are at war, Zoltar, and this is hardly unreasonable, given the circumstances."

"War, then? Is that what you call it?" Zoltar smirked. "An interesting interpretation of your criminal acts."

"What do you call it?" I challenged him.

"Terrorism." he smiled maliciously, his eyes lighting with hatred. "G-Force is nothing more than a vicious group of terrorists, seeking to destroy all Spectra."

"G-Force has only ever acted in defense of itself and the Federation, and has never once taken a Spectran civilian life." I declared proudly. "The opposite is hardly true for Spectra. Your robots attack our planets and target the very homes of our most helpless citizens. You have kidnapped innocent children and used them to power your robots. If we defend against such acts, I would hardly call that terrorism."

"Everything Spectra has done is to better our society, to save the people of our empire from harm and deprivation." Zoltar declared grandly. "Would the people of Spectra ask any less of me, their Leader?"

"Hail, Lord Zoltar!" the spectators chanted. Yet some of the audience appeared to be confused, speaking the words automatically, rather than thinking about what they were saying. Tavis had a pensive air about him, and I wondered what was going on in his thoughts.

"The sun is setting!" the official announced. "This trial is adjourned until sunrise!"

I looked up at the windows, startled to realize that the official was right. I hadn't realized how much time had passed. I recalled how Zoltar had been eager to being the proceedings 'first thing in the morning' and guessed that he wasn't too happy about this interruption. Indeed, the scowl on the Spectran Leader's face was quite fierce. Zoltar motioned to Ganpro and whispered into the guard's ear. Ganpro ran off, leaving me with an ominous dread as I could only imagine what instructions the soldier had been given.

The remainder of my escort surrounded me, walking on all sides of my person as I was led from the courtroom and out through the door. No sooner were we in the corridor when I felt a sting on my upper arm.

As the darkness reached up to claim me, the last thing I saw was Ganpro's sneer.

88888

When I opened my eyes, I was back in my cell. My body felt heavy, my eyes encrusted with sand. My implant was working overtime, doing its best to cleanse my system of the drug that had been administered to me. My cerebonics were designed to handle this kind of thing, and it was rare that any kind of knockout drug affected members of the G-Force Team. But when I analyzed the workings of my implant, it was clear that I had been given enough to take out an elephant. Zoltar must have feared that I would make another escape attempt. To be fair, I had been considering something of the sort, but hadn't had a chance to act upon any of my ideas before I had been drugged.

How had I gotten here? I had destroyed the only elevator… or had I? I suddenly recalled that Captain Lion's Mane had appeared in the hangar, after I had left him down in the prison. It seemed that there was another means of accessing this detention area.

What time was it? In the darkness of the cell it was difficult to determine. As my body slowly became aware of itself, I realized that I was still wearing the metal restraints around my wrists and thighs. It appeared that my escort had simply dumped my here after bringing me back from the courtroom.

Groggily, I sat up, moving slowly over to the wall where I made use of the 'facilities', despite the difficulty entailed in doing so while wearing the restraints. I cleaned up as best I could, then used the remaining water available as a source of rehydration. Again, it was warm and stale, but to my parched throat it felt like heaven.

I returned in a slow shuffle to the sleeping platform, placing myself back upon it in a position similar to the one in which I had awoken. It was likely that I was supposed to still be out, and I didn't see any reason to inform my guards otherwise. Yet as I settled down, I became aware of a gnawing hole in my stomach. I wasn't entirely sure how long it had been since I had eaten anything other than the bread and starch that had been given to me… how long ago? More than a day, that much was certain. My hunger was becoming difficult to ignore. At least I had been able to obtain some water.

The G-Force cerebonics had been designed to provide emergency sustenance in dire situations: an energy reserve that created nutrients to assuage hunger pangs and sustain us. Yet the price of such salvation was high: like an adrenaline rush, it would revive us completely for a limited time, perhaps as much as a day. But afterward we would crash, barely able to move, and our bodies could take up to a week to fully regenerate all of their strength. I couldn't risk such a thing unless I was completely desperate, or certain that rescue was imminent.

At this point, I wasn't certain of anything.

Where was the rest of the G-Force Team? Thanks to the Spectran broadcasts, they knew where I was. Yet I could easily imagine the trouble they were having approaching Spectre City, given the vast array of defenses Zoltar was sure to have set. In addition, it was well known that only humanoids of pure Spectran blood were allowed to come within one hundred kilometers of the city outskirts, and these regulations were enforced as a matter of course. Anyone attempting to enter the restricted area was DNA typed and monitored, while energy fields surrounded the area and ensured that no one was able to bypass a checkpoint. My presence here, as a non-Spectran, was of great significance: one that I was certain boded ill for me.

In order to rescue me, G-Force would have to get through legions of Spectran troops, all of whom were protecting a vast area of innocent civilians, who could easily get caught in the crossfire.

I was on my own.

I knew Mark would never give up on me. In my heart, I understood that he would do whatever he could to find me. It simply wasn't in the Commander's nature to abandon a member of his team. And yet… a small part of me held doubts.

A feeling of guilt washed over me. Mark cared for me… if I were being honest with myself, it was more than that. There had always been a special bond between us, one that we had carefully nurtured, sheltering it from the harsh reality in which we lived. Yet there had been one time that bond had been tested.

It had been Keyop who had told me what had happened during those three days when I was being held captive by Galactor, after I had been eaten by one of their fierce flowers. Chief Anderson, Mark, everyone had known where I was, and yet they had stood beside a field covered with flowers, knowing that their only option was to burn them. It had been Chief Anderson who had made the call, but it had been Mark who had accepted the orders. He had chosen to sacrifice my life, rather than let the Spectrans take over the Earth.

I didn't blame Mark. I understood what he must have been going through. When I had returned, Tiny had told me how Mark had almost quit the Team, even going so far as to take off his communicator… apparently he had only put it back on when he had received my emergency message in G-Force Secret Code. Yet despite all of this, one thing had been made perfectly clear.

If it came down to a choice between me, or his duty, Mark would choose his duty.

If it simply wasn't possible to rescue me, then G-Force would not attempt to do so. If freeing me meant dragging the Federation even deeper into a war that they did not want, if it meant hurting innocent civilians, then I would remain a captive. Just as Mark had his duty, so I had mine. I had to survive, but I also had to remain strong against the enemy. I had to return to the Federation and tell them everything I had learned while I had been on Spectra. I had to learn as much as possible about Spectran technologies, geography, culture, politics... while at the same time doing my best to ensure that I made it back with that knowledge. Anything I could do to help the war effort would result in fewer lives lost, and perhaps even a faster end to the conflict.

As much as I hated to admit it to myself, I didn't think there was much more possibility of escape. I had had my chances, and I had wasted them all. My weapons were gone, and I was growing feeble from lack of food and water. The Spectrans had resorted to drugs to take the fight out of me, which only further weakened my body. Perhaps it was time to start accepting that I might be on Spectra for a long time… longer than I wanted to admit.

And yet… there was still something in me that refused to give up hope.

These conflicting thoughts swirled around my head as I lay on the sleeping platform, allowing my implant to process the drug in my system and eliminate it. Slowly but surely, sharp feeling began to return to my limbs, and my mind began to clear.

A noise at the door warned me of visitors and I closed my eyes just before a shaft of light fell on my face.

"See, I told you she would still be out!" a man's voice laughed callously. "Ganpro gave her 10ccs. That's more than three times the normal dosage!"

"I'm surprised that much didn't kill her." I recognized Mandakar's dry voice.

"She's still alive, don't worry." the first man said. I felt my arm being lifted, fingers being pressed on the inside of my wrist. "There's a pulse. Slow, but steady."

"Will she be awake for dawn?" Mandakar asked, concerned. "Lord Zoltar does not want her sleeping in the courtroom."

"We'll administer a stimulant." the man revealed. "Just enough to make her appear weak, instead of sleepy. That should please Lord Zoltar."

"I hope so, Doctor." Mandakar sighed. "He's become more and more irrational of late. Sometimes I wonder if even winning this war will please him."

"Treason, Captain?" the Doctor sounded amused, but intrigued.

"Not treason." Mandakar disagreed. "Simply caution. I am as loyal to Spectra and the Great Spirit as anyone. Yet sometimes I have to wonder if Lord Zoltar truly comprehends the big picture. He is so obsessed with this G-Force… it's like he can't conceive of anything beyond them."

"It has been difficult obtaining medical supplies for the civilian population of late." the Doctor admitted. "Resources are being appropriated for the Army in all areas save the Capital. And even the residents of Spectre City may soon feel the sting of deprivation."

"Let us pray to the Luminous One that this war ends before such a thing may happen." Mandakar replied. "Once the Federation is ours, we will have resources beyond imagining. Let the gluttonous Federation feel the sting of deprivation for a change!"

"From your mouth to the Great Spirit's powers." the Doctor fervently agreed.

"It's time!" Mandakar barked, and I heard the sound of many footsteps. Hands took hold of my body, lifting me up, strapping me onto a platform. Bands wrapped around my body, immobilizing me from head to toe. I felt the platform begin to move, as I was transported out of the room and into the corridor. Even through my closed eyelids I could feel the bright lights falling onto my face. Regular footsteps echoed around me, and I understood that my escort was surrounding me as usual. Yet this time we did not move in a straight line. We turned right, then right again, then left… there were so many turns I lost track of where we were going. Slowly I realized that we were ascending, moving gradually upward as we made our way through the passageway. The men carrying my platform began breathing heavily, and it wasn't long before we took a brief rest. Afterward the men changed places and we went forward again. My escort did not speak amongst themselves, likely because by now they were all having difficulty with regular breathing. At least if I was supposed to be sedated, I had the small pleasure of witnessing their exertion while I simply lay in place.

After some time, we stopped again, but instead of a brief respite, this appeared to be a longer break. My platform was tilted at a ninety degree angle, and then we began accelerating rapidly. I recognized the regular sway of a moving vehicle, and understood that we had boarded some kind of vessel.

"We'll be there in approximately fifteen hexons." one man said. My mind scrambled to convert. Spectrans used decimal time, with each day divided into ten hexors. Each hexor was divided into one hundred hexons. Their days were approximately thirty Earth hours long, as their planet revolved more slowly than ours. So that meant… we'd be traveling in this vehicle for about half an hour.

I thought back to what the Doctor had told Captain Lion's Mane. They would give me a stimulant. Since I was actually awake, a stimulant would cause me to become hyperactive and fidgety, and I would burn calories more quickly. This was a problem, given that I was already hungry and had no energy to waste. I moaned softly, tilting my head slightly to the side, as if I were slowly regaining consciousness.

"She's waking up." one of the men noted. "Isn't it a bit early for that?"

"The Doctor said she might not awaken at all." another man recalled.

"She's still out of it." another declared, lifting my head and letting it drop back down. I opened my eyes to slits, letting them take in a bleary view of my surroundings. We were in a bullet-shaped chamber with two doors and four windows. The windows looked out on nothing but blackness. Silver poles ran from floor to ceiling and my escort held onto the poles for support as the vehicle moved.

Over the next twenty minutes, I pretended to rouse myself slowly out of my stupor. By the time we came to a stop, I was able to groggily ask where we were.

"You'll find out soon enough, Primitive." Ganpro sneered. His voice came from behind me, which explained why I hadn't seen him before now.

"Trial?" I asked heavily, as if it were an effort to speak.

"Today's the day you get what's coming to you." a guard in front of me grinned.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I was removed from the platform and frog-marched down a long corridor, while I made my legs appear rubbery and unable to support my weight. After a few moments I stumbled along, until by the time we had arrived at the courtroom, when I was able to stand without assistance. My escort took me over to a small room, pushing me inside so that I stumbled and nearly fell to the floor.

"You're early." an official inside the room noted.

"We thought she might make trouble." one of my escorts revealed. "But it looks like she's had the fight taken out of her."

"Miss Swan!" Tavis Demandro came rushing toward me, placing a steadying hand on my elbow. "Whatever has happened?"

"I'm fine, Tavis, so kind of you to ask." I smiled sweetly, using the opportunity he presented to move slightly away from my guards.

"Did you sleep well?" Tavis inquired.

"That's all I did." I sighed regretfully. "I was drugged all night. I don't really remember anything since I left the Hall of Light yesterday."

"Drugged?" Tavis appeared shocked, and he glanced pointedly at the broadcast camera, which was being set up in a corner of the room. I realized that we were not in the courtroom itself, but rather a side chamber. Tables and chairs took up half the room, while along one wall a low counter held a variety of foods. I could feel my mouth watering, and my hunger returned to the fore.

"May I have something to eat?" I asked my guards politely, playing the 'innocent ingénue' routine for all it was worth. It wouldn't fool the men of my escort, but my act caught Tavis' attention, as I had planned.

"She hasn't been fed?" he was aghast. "Why, I'll speak to Lord Zoltar immediately!"

"No need, let the savage eat!" Ganpro snarled, clearly unhappy at being outmaneuvered. He looked over nervously at the camera. "No need to bother Lord Zoltar."

"Could you get me something, Tavis?" I asked prettily. "My hands are a little… hampered." I gestured helplessly to my wrist restraints.

"Of course my dear." Tavis said kindly, leading me over to a table close to his camera, but away from my escort. The guards got the point, milling quietly on the other side of the room.

I sat down, and shortly Tavis returned with a plate of breads and fruits that could easily be eaten by hand. He placed a tall, thin glass in front of me.

"Gattan?" he asked politely. I saw that the glass was filled with a purple juice. It looked similar to the liquid I had been given with my previous meal.

"No thank you; I would prefer water." I shook my head slightly.

"That's fine." Tavis agreed, moving back to fulfill my request. When he had returned, he sat down next to me at the table, leaning his head close to mine.

"You know about the gattan, then?" he whispered softly.

"That it's drugged?" I replied sotto voce. "Yes, I've already determined that."

"Many citizens are addicted to it." Tavis explained, his effusive, slightly effeminate manner suddenly transformed into a serious demeanor. "The officials prefer it that way. Gattan is distributed freely all over the Empire."

"Good to know." I nodded between mouthfuls.

"Giggle." Tavis instructed. "Act like the simpering girl you play for the cameras." I complied, leaning my head close to his, my mind whirling with the implications of Tavis' words.

"I'm glad you realize that's not all there is to me." I replied.

"I realized that the moment you spoke during your evaluation yesterday." Tavis revealed. "You're walking a thin line, but so far you're balancing upon it. Unfortunately, no one knows what Zoltar has planned. He has not revealed his arguments to anyone."

I giggled again as my escort stared, waiting until their gazes turned away once more.

"It would seem that you're not entirely impartial in this matter." I pointed out.

"Not at all." Tavis smiled grimly. Casually he rested his chin on his hand, his forefinger tracing a slight swirling pattern on his chest. A signal of some sort? Was it possible he worked for Galaxy Security? I glanced sharply at Tavis. He was clearly a full-blooded Spectran, making such a possibility highly unlikely. But still…

Slowly I copied his movement, swirling my finger around as I lifted a piece of bread to my mouth. My eyes were locked on Tavis' face, and I caught a quick flush as it passed over his cheeks. I blinked and the color was gone, as if it had never been there at all.

"I knew you would help." Tavis sounded relieved. "You've already helped. Just keep doing what you're doing." I wanted to reply that I wasn't even sure what he was referring to, yet there was no more time for explanations. An official entered the room, announcing that the proceedings were about to begin, curtly informing Tavis that there was no time for 'interviews'. Hurriedly I stuffed the last of the food into my mouth, not knowing when I would get another meal. Wiping my hands on a napkin I rose, joining up with my escort once more before being led into the courtroom.

I was surrounded as I entered the Hall of Light, yet I sensed the masses of people moving past my escort. Tavis and his camera had moved off to one side, spectators swirling around them. It seemed that the audience was much larger than it had been the previous day. As I was brought to my assigned place, my guards moved back and I was finally able to see the rest of the room. I had been right: there was nearly double the amount of seating for spectators today. Bleacher-style benches rose nearly to the ceiling, blocking much of my view of Spectre City.

The people attending today seemed more excited than I recalled from yesterday. Their clothes were vibrant hues of blue and green, red and purple, orange and yellow, so bright that it almost hurt to look at them. There was a sort of restlessness amongst the crowd that I couldn't quite put my finger on.

At the very front sat Tavis, as he had the day before, smiling at me in a reassuring fashion. The high spirits of the crowd appeared to buoy him somewhat, and I could sense his excitement. What did he think was going to happen? What did he want me to do?

My eyes skimmed the crowd, searching for some kind of clue. And without warning, I found it.

Jason.

It took all of my effort to prevent an expression of surprise from crossing my face. Jason was here! He sat amongst the spectators, dressed as they were, looking as far from a member of G-Force as was possible. Even his hair had been styled differently, to reflect what appeared to be current Spectran fashion trends. Yet I knew it was my friend. And if Jason was here, then the others must be close by!

But even as my excitement began to build, reality brought me back to the ground. No one was allowed into Spectre City unless they were of pure Spectran blood. Jason's parents had been Spectran defectors, refugees who had come to work for Galaxy Security. He was the only one here in this courtroom because he was the only one who could pass through the DNA screenings.

Still, the others couldn't be far away. They had to be within contact range. Jason could never come here on his own, not without help.

My eyes caught his, and Jason's fingers flickered slightly, as if he was scratching his nose. Yet I understood the message.

_Wait for my signal._

I blinked, nodding very slowly, so that Jason understood that I was acknowledging his instructions. Whatever his plan, I didn't want to jeopardize it. Even more, I knew what a terrible risk Jason was taking simply to be here. If Zoltar realized that there was not one, but _two_ members of G-Force in the room…

I forced my eyes to move around the massive chamber again, not wanting to draw attention to Jason's presence. As my gaze returned to Tavis, he stared at me with a perplexed expression, as if he didn't truly understand what was going on. Well that made two of us.

An official stepped up, calling the room to order and announcing that the proceedings would begin where they had left off yesterday. Zoltar entered the Hall of Light, his sister Mala on his arm. The Spectran Leader moved to the center of the chamber before turning to address the audience, while Mala took a seat at the side of the room, well away from the spectators.

"The crimes of the defendant have already been established." Zoltar began, putting on his most regal mannerisms. "And so I turn to the issue of the defendant's status, which was previously challenged in this court." I was surprised to hear this. I wondered if Zoltar had spent half the night concocting some reason to charge me as a prisoner of state.

"Millions of years ago, when the twin suns of Spectra were still yellow, this planet was devoid of life." Zoltar began, as if he was conducting a lecture at a university. "The Spectran people did not exist here. Indeed, our people came from far across the galaxy, from an entirely different solar system, where we inhabited another world. We shared this world with creatures so massive that they could crush us beneath their toes and not even be aware of our presence. Our cunning and ingenuity allowed us to survive, yet we admired these leviathans in our souls. Even today, they provide the inspiration for our own robot beasts, which we use to provide for the wellbeing of the Spectran people."

"The planet was lush and green, full of life and wild creatures. We were an integral part of this biome, helping to maintain and sustain the natural environment." Zoltar declared. "Yet one day, that all changed. An immense asteroid fell from the sky, crashing into the planet and creating a massive dust cloud. Its brethren, who had missed impacting our planet, still left their debris behind: smaller rocks and dust which caught in the atmosphere, due to the planet's gravitational pull. These fragments of cosmic rubbish filled the skies, eventually covering the entire planet. Light from the one sun was blocked, and the surface of the world became dark. Plants that required sunlight to sustain them perished, and with that a chain of death followed, as the delicate balance of the biome had been shattered. Our people fell victim, and began to die." The entire courtroom was silent, held up in Zoltar's spellbinding tale. The Spectran Leader paused, surveying the mood of the spectators with a pleased expression on his face. Then he spoke again.

"Our people would be no more, and already the first of us had been sacrificed to this terrible cosmic event. Yet in the midst of that darkness, one true light arose to save us. The Luminous One appeared, taking pity on our people, offering us salvation." The audience murmured appreciatively at this development, nodding eagerly as they spoke in response.

"Mighty Spirit!"

"By the power of the Luminous One we shall be saved…"

"The Great Spirit is our hope for the future…"

"The Luminous One offered to take us through the galaxy to a new world: a world that would sustain us and let us live as we once had done." Zoltar explained. "But before we left, He showed us how to leave a part of ourselves on the planet, so that we would never be forgotten. Through His instruction, we were able to insinuate our genetic material throughout the natural structure of the planet, so that if it were ever again to sustain life, that we would be a part of that world once more."

A tight knot began to form in my stomach. Surely Zoltar couldn't be saying…

"The Luminous One took us from the dying world to another, and another, and another… many worlds existed, yet none of them were at that time capable of supporting life forms as complex as ours. Yet on each, we left our genetic material, as a reminder that we were there. After a thousand years we reached our final destination, the planet we call home today: Spectra. Here, the Luminous One still guides us, and teaches us."

"I fail to see how this fascinating story has any impact on me." I pointed out. Zoltar turned angrily toward me, furious at the interruption, yet he hid his feelings quickly.

"Clearly you weren't paying attention." Zoltar replied condescendingly. "These planets our people had passed by eventually grew to sustain life, even humanoid life. And the planet from which the Spectran people had originated became the most bounteous world of all: lush, healthy, vibrant, full of resources and all that was required to sustain the humanoid race that developed there. Its new inhabitants were unaware of the planet's full history, and they gave the planet a new name: Earth."

A deathly silence fell across the courtroom, as everyone absorbed the terrible accusation that had spilled from Zoltar's cruelly twisted lips. I spoke again, but it was an effort to keep my voice steady.

"It's a pretty story, but there is no factual or scientific basis in what you say, Zoltar." I refuted his claim. "Earth scientists have long been aware of the evolution of its species, and its timing in the history of our planet. There is no evidence of humanoid life at the time you state. Certainly there was no humanoid life during the time of the dinosaurs, as you imply."

"And if there had been, would your scientists have been able to find such evidence?" Zoltar argued. "The entire population of our people left the planet. There was nothing that remained other than the genetic material we integrated into the planet's very nature. Do your Earth scientists have any real capability to even separate what is truth and what is not?"

"There is no proof that what you are saying is true." I countered. "You have no way of confirming or denying your wild claims. This is a myth."

"Have you never wondered about the similarities of life on planets across the galaxy?" Zoltar smirked. "Humanoid races from Earth, from Riga, from Aquatica, from Tremulos, from Urgos… they are all the same. These races are so similar they can even interbreed. How is this possible if they did not all come from one source, one Master Race?"

"That is an interesting question for scientific debate, but it hardly verifies what you are saying." I insisted. "Where is your proof?"

"I have all the proof I need." Zoltar declared grandly, his arm sweeping about. "The Luminous One himself revealed this wondrous secret to my ears."

"And when was this?" I asked. "Has this story always been a part of Spectran history? Based on the reaction of the spectators today, I would say that they have never heard such claims before either. Why is it that such 'wondrous' events would take place, yet not remain a part of your culture, your histories? Why would the Luminous One choose to reveal such a 'secret' to you now?"

"You dare question the Great Spirit?" Zoltar was outraged. "It is not for us to ask Him why. We merely accept His wisdom and guidance with humble gratitude."

"You haven't answered me, Zoltar." I refused to be led into a theological discussion. "You claim that humans on Earth descended from the Spectran people, yet never before, over millions of years, has this been discussed openly on Spectra. The people here today have never heard this version of history. And most importantly, what you propose is a story, or at best a theory. You offer no proof other than the word of the Luminous One, who is not even present to confirm or deny your statement."

"I speak for the Great Spirit!" Zoltar announced. "No one in this Hall of Light denies that!" A soft murmuring broke out amongst the spectators. The mood of the crowd was uncertain, and recklessly I forged ahead, seizing upon the moment.

"You may speak for the Great Spirit, but who says that you speak his worlds truthfully?" I asked. Zoltar's face drained of color, his eyes flashing with hatred.

"Are you impugning my honesty, my credibility?" he demanded.

"I admit, I know little of your domestic affairs here on Spectra, or of your governance of such matters." I replied. "Yet there have been numerous occasions during your dealings with me, or with my teammates, where you have been far from honest, and less than forthcoming."

"That is because we are at war!"

"Ah, so now my actions are ones of an enemy of war, and not of a terrorist?" I asked innocently.

"You twist my words with your slanderous tongue." Zoltar hissed. "You will speak no further! I have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, for the Great Spirit's word is such to the Spectran people, that the people of Earth have descended from the Spectran Master Race. Therefore, you are a citizen of the Spectran Empire, and the crimes you have committed are terrorist acts of rebellion against your proper and rightful overlords! As a prisoner of the state, you have no right to speak in your own defense in this courtroom!"

An angry buzz began to emerge from the spectators, and Zoltar's eyes flashed nervously from the audience to the broadcast camera.

"Even if what you claim is true, which I doubt, your argument does not apply to me." I noted. "My racial heritage isn't of Earth. In fact, my family came from Komedra. I was merely raised on Earth."

"Humanoids on Komedra have also descended from the Spectran Master Race!" Zoltar spat.

"Really? Funny you didn't mention that before now." I didn't bother to hide the skeptical nature of my response.

"You are not permitted to speak!" Zoltar hissed through gritted teeth, carefully enunciating each word before turning to the official. "It is time for the verdict to be announced!"

"The verdict?" the official asked nervously, glancing over toward the angry crowd of spectators.

"The verdict, Mala!" Zoltar snapped at his sister.

"The Luminous One has reached His verdict." the High Lady of Spectra declared, rising to a stand. "The defendant is clearly guilty of high treason, and there can be only one punishment for such a crime. The defendant will be executed immediately."

"I don't understand, Lady Mala." I said loudly, pushing back the fear that threatened to overtake me. "How can you have a verdict already? I thought you were supposed to consult with the Luminous One regarding the verdict? He is not here. How can he know of what took place in this courtroom today?"

"The Great Spirit is omniscient: He knows all." Mala purred smugly.

"Are you omniscient as well?" I asked pointedly. "How can you know his verdict without going to consult with him?"

"The Great Spirit… communicates with me." Mala faltered, but only for a moment. "He speaks to me in my mind. I do not have to visit Him in His Audience Chamber to know his will."

"I see." I nodded. "Does he speak to others in this way as well?"

"He can if He desires." Mala acknowledged. "He is all powerful."

"If that's true, then why does the Luminous One have an Audience Chamber at all?" I asked innocently. "Surely if he can simply communicate with his subjects through their minds, he has no need of something so mundane." My gaze flickered over toward Jason, who sat stone-still. Even now, I did not receive a sign from him to act.

"The desires of the Great Spirit are not your concern!" Zoltar shouted. "You desecrate His name! You will be executed immediately!" The Spectran Leader signaled to the men of my escort, who raised their rifles, aiming them at my head.

"Stop, Lord Zoltar!" Tavis Demandro rushed forth, grabbing at the Spectran Leader's arm. "Surely this is a jest! The defendant has not been proven to deserve such a verdict!" Zoltar sneered at Tavis, yanking his arm rudely from the man's grasp. But the Spectran Leader's face grew pale as he observed the mood of the crowd at his action.

"This is not right!"

"She should be spared!"

"Consult with the Great Spirit!"

"This is ridiculous!" Zoltar screeched, his desperation leaking into his voice. "You see her as she appears here, demure and pure in her misleading white cloak. But before her punishment is carried out, you shall see her for who she truly is!"

Before I knew what was happening, I had been grabbed by six men. They hauled me from my seat, forcing me to stand before Zoltar. Desperately I looked for Jason, but was unable to see him, thanks to the crowd of Spectran guards around me.

"You will remove your bracelet for me." Zoltar ordered.

"I will not." I refused. "It was a special gift, and holds much sentimental value. I am far from certain that you would care for it as I do."

"Enough with this insolence!" Zoltar snarled. His hand reached out for my left wrist. I yanked my restrained arms away, pushing back into two of the men who held me. The pair of guards went tumbling to the floor, yet more rushed in to take their place. Zoltar's fingers grabbed at me, and despite my efforts, I felt them brushing my arm.

"No!" I cried, my head swiveling desperately to look for Jason. Damn his reticence! It was time to act now!

But it was too late. A blindingly white flash erupted from my body as my communicator was forcibly removed, causing Zoltar and the soldiers surrounding me to stumble back. When the light faded, I stood before the entire Spectran Empire wearing my number three shirt, my communicator still clutched in Zoltar's hand.

No! Not again…

A few months ago, I had lost my shoe while helping save innocent civilians from a surprise Spectran robot attack. Zoltar's men had found the shoe and used it to discover the secret of our transmutation, building a weapon that could cause us to revert from our G-Force uniforms to our civilian clothes. My identity had almost been revealed to Spectra as I had infiltrated Zoltar's airship to retrieve my missing footwear.

And now, after all of that, here I was, exposed to the entire universe via Spectran broadcast. Even worse, Zoltar was holding my communicator, and the technological information contained within that small device was highly secret.

After the incident with my shoe, Chief Anderson had redesigned our uniforms, altering the mode of transmutation, so that Zoltar's weapon would no longer work on us. Yet there had been another change as well. The Chief had re-programmed our cerebonics, allowing us to transmit action codes to our bracelets at short range.

There was no question what I had to do.

As I stared at my communicator, I initiated the command.

Zoltar cried out in surprise, dropping the bracelet as it sparked and hissed at him. It hit the floor, detonating with a puff of smoke. My communicator had been completely destroyed. The Spectrans would never get anything out of that.

Yet there was another resulting action as well. Now that my communicator was no longer active, my uniform responded in kind. My clothes began to glow from within, and I felt a burning, tickling sensation all over my body, not dissimilar to the feeling of transmutation. Minute fiberoptics and data chips inside my uniform burned out, leaving nothing in their path but standard Federation synthetic fabric. No matter what Zoltar did to them now, my clothes would never transform again.

"What weapon is this?" Zoltar cried, scrambling to his feet. "You tried to attack me!"

"You are the one who attacked me!" I pointed out furiously. "You forcibly removed my bracelet! I could have warned you about the consequences, but you weren't willing to listen!"

"Kill her!" Zoltar cried.

"No!" Tavis threw himself forward, appealing to the Spectran Leader on his knees. "My Lord Zoltar, she is just a girl! A child! Surely there is some other form of punishment for her that will be acceptable."

"There is no acceptable alternative." Zoltar sneered, kicking Tavis away so that the man fell awkwardly on the steps. "The Luminous One has pronounced his verdict! She will be executed!"

The guards around me raised their rifles again, but I wasn't about to die without a fight. With or without Jason, it was time to act. Ganpro shoved his rifle at my head, but I swung up my bound wrists, smashing his weapon aside so that it struck his face, causing him to fall to the ground. I ducked down to the floor, avoiding the rifle fire of the other guards as I swung my restrained legs around in a circle, knocking them all off of their feet. I rolled upward, ready to fight.

Yet the fight was going on all around me.

Tavis Demandro was wrestling with Zoltar, the two men rolling on the floor. Mala had disappeared from sight. The spectators were leaping out of their seats, rushing toward the front of the room. Jason's head moved with the crowd, and our eyes met for one desperate second. He sent a wry grin my way, as if to comment that I should get going. I grinned back, relieved and energized to see him there. Time slowed down; a sea of chaos surrounded me, yet I was able to take in every detail, every facet of that moment.

And then I turned.

The guards I had swept to the floor were getting up, and more soldiers rushed in behind them. They lifted their rifles… but they weren't firing at me.

They were firing at the spectators.

My blood chilled in my veins as I saw the first civilians fall. Unable to help myself, I turned, throwing myself at the floor, rolling toward the green-uniformed soldiers, desperately trying to get them to stop in their deadly attack. The world became a blur as men fell on top of me, falling over my body and crashing into the floor. I scrambled to my feet as quickly as I could while wearing the restraints, then launched myself at the backs of two soldiers who had escaped my previous attack.

"Princess!"

Jason's cry only spurred me on. I had to stop this from happening! This was _my_ fight. How _dare_ Zoltar bring innocent bystanders into it? And he had accused _me_ of being a terrorist? Didn't he care at all for his own people?

My body smashed into the remaining shooters, slamming them onto the ground. I felt bones crack underneath my elbow and knew that at least one of them was permanently out of commission. I snarled with my minor victory, looking up to see more soldiers approaching my position. I swung my legs around, doing my best to stand so I could face them. Just as I struggled to my feet, I saw Jason reach up from behind one of the men, grabbing his neck and giving a sharp twist. I rushed as best I could toward the next Spectran uniform, bending over to throw my shoulder into his solar plexus. The man grunted in pain, collapsing to the floor.

"You're coming with me, savage!" a voice snarled in my ear. I didn't need to look to know it was Ganpro. An arm snaked around my neck, dragging me backwards. I was unable to reach back and throw him over my shoulder, as I would normally have done, thanks to my wrist restraints. Instead I pushed up with my legs, preparing to backflip over Ganpro's head and out of his grip. My body surged upward, my momentum carrying me around my attacker.

Something sharp sliced my arm and a fierce pain burned through my body. My throat cried out in pain, but no sound emerged.

I was already gone.


	8. Epilogue

Epilogue

"Jason, report!" Mark snapped as his second-in-command appeared on the Bridge, still wearing his bedraggled remnants of high Spectran fashion. "Where's Princess? And who is he?" The G-Force Commander gestured sharply to the battered and unconscious man who had been brought onto the Phoenix Bridge.

"I know he doesn't look it right now, but this is Tavis Demandro." Jason sighed. "He's the Spectran reporter who was covering Princess' 'trial'. I had to save him Mark… he put his own life at risk to save Princess. Zoltar's men would have shot him."

"And where is Princess now?" Mark growled. Jason cringed inwardly, although his mind was too concerned with the failure of his mission to register it. The Commander had been inconsolable ever since Princess had been taken. Jason knew that Mark considered it his fault that Princess had been captured, since Zoltar's trap had been intended for the Commander. It had cut Mark to the core that he couldn't be the one to enter the courtroom to save her, but in this case DNA had played a role in mission selection.

"I… I lost her." Jason admitted. "As the Chief ordered, I tried to wait until the trial was over before rescuing her, but all hell broke loose." He steeled himself against his Commander's wrath. Yet the expected outrage never came. Instead, Mark's face crumpled with grief as his body collapsed into a chair.

"She was right there." Jason explained. "Close enough to touch. You saw must have seen the start of the riot on the broadcast. We were fighting together, and then when I looked back… she was gone."

"Gone?" Mark's eyes darkened.

"She had disappeared! I swear! The Spectrans were all retreating, dragging Zoltar out of the room. The remaining civilians were running for their lives. I had no idea where she had gone, and I had to get out of there myself. Tavis had been left for dead. I grabbed him and left."

"Princess… breet… gone?" Keyop asked plaintively.

"No, Keyop." Mark grimaced. "We'd know if she was dead. Our implants are all connected. They would sense that hers had deactivated."

"Then we'll just have to keep trying to rescue her." Tiny said resolutely.

"We're not just going to try." Mark vowed. "I won't rest until Princess is back with us, where she belongs. We nearly lost her once, and I won't let it happen again."

Jason looked into Mark's face, seeing a kind of dedication he had never before witnessed from his duty-bound Commander.

Whatever it took, Mark would find Princess.

**End of Part I**


End file.
